Demons
by Chidori Eiso
Summary: He was searching for acknowledgement. She was searching for something taken from her long ago. Both were searching for a place to belong.
1. 001

**_001_**

* * *

Oh how he hated the winter.

Snow blanketed the land and the temperature plummeted to unsavory levels, giving the wind an icy bite to it. The boy shuddered as a gale swept through the frozen forest and tightened his scarf.

 _'Stupid snow...'_ he grumbled to himself as he trudged along the beaten path. The faster they reach a town, the faster they could find warmth and more importantly, food. At best, they could survive another 2 days with the rations still left.

Glancing ahead, he caught sight of his traveling companion. She was currently chasing after a rabbit a few paces ahead of him. Like him, she was clad in a black cloak. It had extra padding sewn in to better stave off the chilling cold. Her fiery skin shone like a beacon against the ivory landscape and her long, sanguine tresses fluttered behind her like a cape of sakura petals. But what stood out the most about the girl were the 2 district horns perched atop her head.

The girl suddenly turned to face him and a smile lit up her features. "Nao!" She exclaimed excitedly.

The boy's eyes suddenly widened when he saw her barreling towards him. He braced himself as much as he could but the slushy terrain didn't leave him much room for solid footing. The girl slammed into his chest with incredible velocity, knock the boy off his feet and sending them both crashing to the ground.

The boy grunted from the impact and shivered when he felt snow slip inside of his jacket. Glancing down at the bundle in his arms, he couldn't help but smile as she giggled into his chest. "You're going to be the death of me you know that?" He chuckled as he ran his fingers through her hair. The girl lifted her head and grinned brightly, revealing a maw full of sharp fangs.

"Nao..."

"Hm?"

The boy suddenly stopped, resting between the girl's horns. She was staring up at him expectantly, concern etched into her features. "Mari?"

The boy smiled as he pet her hair one last time. "Of course. I did say I would protect you forever," he grinned at her. The girl's eyes began to water and a silly smile spread across her face. "Once we get out of here, we'll go see the world and I'll be your-"

* * *

 _Uzumaki Naruto...you fail!_

The words echoed in his mind, a constant reminder of his inaptitude. Today was the graduating ceremony for his class at the academy. The other student were showing off their new headbands to their parents who were gawking in awe. Each and every graduating student had received one to signify that they were now official shinobi of the Hidden Leaf.

Running a finger across his goggles, the blonde gave a heavy sigh as he pushed himself off of the swing. "Who wants to be a ninja anyway..."

* * *

Naruto silently trudged along through the forest. His hands were stuffed in his pockets and his eyes were unfocused. he sighed. He wasn't the smartest in class, but he at least managed a passing score on the written test. His Shurikenjutsu was...acceptable and Taijutsu was probably what he excelled at most. And even then he stood no chance against the _Uchiha_. But the absolute bane of his existence was Ninjutsu.

The final graduation requirement was to show proficiency in Ninjutsu by way of performing the Transformation technique and Clone Jutsu during an evaluation with their sensei. Unfortunately for the blonde, his chakra control was so lacking it might as well be nonexistent. Even at such a young age, Naruto had more chakra than even the average Jōnin. But he couldn't properly mold it, which lead to atrocious transformations and dysfunctional clones.

"Maybe Hokage just isn't in the cards..." the boy said to no one in particular. He hated the idea of giving up on his dreams, but how was he supposed to become the strongest, most respected ninja in the village, if he couldn't even graduate the academy. Maybe he could talk to the old man. There was no way that all of the blood, sweat, and tears he' shed his entire life could be for naught. Could it…?

Naruto stumbled into the sunlight and found himself standing on the edge of the field. He brought his hand to his brow to block out the sun and get a better lay of the land. The field was rather expansive in size and gave a clear view of the mountains. A deep river bisected the glade, splitting the Forrest in half. On one side there were three wooden posts that were spaced apart evenly and beyond them there was kunai shaped stone.

The blonde glanced around in confusion. He'd never seen this training ground before. Or at least that's what he assumed it to be. Walking forward, something floating in the river caught his eye. Whatever it was, it was long, pink, and drifting about aimlessly. As he drew closer, he slowly started to make out the shape of a person. They suddenly dipped below the surface and disappeared from sight.

After a few moments, blonde's eyes widened when the person had yet to resurface. _'Oh no they could be drowning!'_ Kicking off his sandals, Naruto made a break for the riverbank. He unzipped his jacket and tossed it aside only to slip and fall face first into the dirt.

"The hell..." Naruto turned around to see he had lost his footing on a pile of clothing, which he assumed belonged to the person in the river. A sense of urgency quickly reinvigorated the blonde when he remembered that said person was still possibly drowning. He shot to his feet and turned back to the water only for a figure to burst out from beneath the surface.

Naruto stood paralyzed at the sight before him. It was a girl, around his age if he had to guess. A long, flowing mane of pink hair flared out behind her but truly what drew his attention were the small pair of horns protruding from the top of her head. Their gazes locked and Naruto found himself lost in her radiant cyan eyes, which were further accentuated by her red eyeliner. Even with a fish hanging from her mouth and blank expression, the boy was completely mesmerized by the beauty before him. It wasn't until she leaned her face in close to his that he noticed her state of undress.

"Y-Y-You're naked!" Naruto stammered, his face turning every known shade of red.

The girl spit the fish back into the water with a smirk. "And here I thought you were dead or something," she said walking past the stunned blonde. "What a shame. I was hoping it would be salty like the ocean," she said downheartedly as she licked her forearm.

Naruto finally recovered from his stupor and turned to the girl. "But this is a river...the ocean is a long way from here."

"Well obviously," the girl rolled her eyes. "But it's the most ocean-like place I know," she sighed. "You can't seem to take your eyes off of me so you must be quite the pervert," she grinned.

"What? No!" the blonde blanched. "I was walking and I saw you and I thought you were drowning and I was gonna jump in to save you and could you please put your clothes back on now!" He exclaimed, slowly turning an even deeper shade of crimson.

The girl stared at him briefly before bursting into laughter, much to Naruto's annoyance. "How noble of you. Risking your life for someone you just met. I appreciate it, thank you."

Naruto felt his face heat up at the alluring smile she flashed at him. "Y-Yeah whatever," he grumbled as he turned around to hide his Blush and give the girl some privacy.

A few minutes passed and Naruto found himself standing on the edge of the river. He was so lost in thought staring at his reflection that he almost didn't hear the footsteps approaching from behind. He spared a glance over his shoulder and saw it was the girl. She was clad in the traditional attire of an ANBU sans the flak vest. It was only now he noticed the tattoo on her shoulder.

"You're an ANBU?"

"Something like that," she grinned. "What about you? Orange isn't exactly a good for a ninja," she queried. Naruto looked himself over and merely shrugged. He was clad in a mesh shirt with black pants and sandals. The collar, sleeves, and middle stripe of his jacket were black and the rest was a bright orange. A red insignia of the Uzumaki clan sat in the middle of his back.

"There's no better color," he said simply before turning back to the river. "Besides I'm not a ninja. I can't be one..."

"Can't?" The girl's eyebrow rose.

"Yeah…I failed the academy graduation test. _Again._ Someone who can't make a simple clone isn't fit to be a ninja. Let alone Hokage," the blonde laughed grimly.

"Hokage is a bit of a pipe dream if you can't become a ninja," the girl reasoned with a shrug.

"Tell me something I don't know," Naruto sighed. He picked up a small rock and tossed it at the river. It skipped five times before losing momentum and sinking into awaiting abyss. "I just kind of figured that if I became Hokage, I'd finally fit in. I don't have a family and I'm not from some prestigious clan. I've been on my own my entire life, looking out for just me," he spoke.

"Everyone treats me with hatred and scorn, avoiding me like the plague. If I became Hokage then they'd have no choice but to acknowledge me. I'd finally have some place I belonged..."

He didn't know why he was opening up to a complete stranger. But it felt good to finally speak his mind for once. And the girl was still there so she seemed intent on hearing his words, which was a first. It was a nice feeling.

"Oh I see..." she said reaching into her back pouch. "You're just like me." She withdrew a small black choker and encircled it around her neck. Upon settling in place, a red sealing matrix spread across the thin fabric. "I'm always alone too, thanks to these horns," she said gesturing to the growths on her head.

"Life isn't going to hand you anything you know," she continued. "You have to take what you want by force. If there isn't a place for you, then go out and make one!" She proclaimed.

Naruto only rolled her eyes at her words. "Yeah, it's not as simple as you make it seem," he scoffed. A grunt escaped the blonde when his equilibrium suddenly shifted and he was left lying on his back. His eyes snapped to attention at the girl, who was now straddling his waist.

"But that's the fun part!" She beamed. "Life would be boring if everything was easy!" Before Naruto could react, she leaned in close to his face again, this time running her tongue across the whispered grooves of his cheek.

"W-What are you doing?!" Naruto stammered, staring at the girl incredulously.

"Wow..." she grinned as she licked her lips. "Your taste really makes my heart race," she spoke, sitting up in his lap. "It bites and lingers..." She licked her lips once more. "The taste of danger."

"W-What?" The poor boy managed to peep out.

"I'm sorry, would you have preferred a kiss instead?" She questioned, tilting her head to the side, causing her bangs to sway.

"A K-Kiss?!"

"Of course!" The girl smiled. She leaned in close to his ear and Naruto shuttered as her warm breath tickled his neck. "It's a very special thing you know..." she whispered huskily.

At this point Naruto was practically short circuiting and the girl couldn't help but giggle. He was actually rather cute. Pushing herself up, the girl dusted her pants off and offered a warm smile to the blonde. "I've taken a liking to you."

 _ **"Neh, how's about becoming my Darling?"**_


	2. 002

_**002**_

* * *

"D-Darling?" Naruto spluttered. Never had anyone referred to him in such an affectionate manner.

"Yes, _my_ Darling," the girl repeated with a grin.

"You mean like a partner or something?" Naruto queried.

"Look, just because you can't make some silly clone doesn't mean you aren't fit to be a ninja. An illusion is just that. You can't protect anyone with one, certainly not yourself. You need someone kick your ass into gear and I require the assistance of another to use my bloodline." She said matter-of-factly before offering a hand to help him up. "And you also weren't frightened by my horns..."

Naruto immediately picked up on her change in demeanor. Gone was the dauntless aura that she had given off prior to now, replaced by...timidness? The blonde was certain that if he squinted, he'd be able to make out the faint shades of pink dusting the girl's cheeks.

He was at a loss for words. Firstly, he wasn't used to being addressed or even remotely acknowledged unless he was being admonished or berated. Yet this girl was giving him her complete and undivided attention. Secondly, he'd never seen this chick a day before in his life until now and yet she was being incredibly fond with him. It stirred up unfamiliar, yet powerful emotions within the 14 year old. But what intrigued him the most was this mask she insisted upon wearing. The whole bravado act she was putting on was a fabrication. This girl was in pain, and she was hiding it all behind such a gorgeous smile.

"I...I don't kn-"

A rustle near the edge of the training ground caught their attention.

"That's too bad," the girl frowned. "Times up."

A lone figure emerged from the bushes. It's was an ANBU with long purple hair donning a cat mask. "How many times do I have to tell you not to go running off on your own? And during patrol at that," the woman admonished.

"But it was boooring," the girl whined. "A bunch of brats graduated from the academy, so what?"

"That's n-" the woman paused and brought a hand to her forehead, checking her anger. This girl has really been trying her patience these days. "That's not the point. We go on patrol to-"

"Protect the village against all threats foreign and domestic yeah, yeah I got it," the girl waved off as she strapped her tanto across her lower back. "Are you gonna lecture me all day or can I go back to patrol now?"

"Dismissed," the ANBU gave an annoyed sighed. But before the girl could jump away, Naruto finally broke his silence.

"W-Wait! What's your name?"

The girl looked towards the sky, giving it some thought. "Don't really have one I guess. Everyone just calls me Zero Two," she shrugged, flashing another grin.

" _Bye Bye~"_

The girl flashed out of sight, surprising the blonde. "Zero Two...?"

"Uzumaki-kun."

"Huh?" Naruto turned to see the other ANBU staring at him with a pointed expression. "If you care about your own well-being at all, it would be most wise to keep your distance from her," she said grimly.

But before Naruto could inquire what she meant, the woman flickered away. Naruto rubbed his temples to stave off the growing headache and slowly pushed himself to his feet. "Today has just been very trying," he groaned. "I could really go for some ramen. Really need to clear my head."

And with that, the boy set off for the village.

* * *

Naruto carefully shuffled his way down the crowded street. It was nearly noon which meant a lot of people would be out and about for their lunch break. The last thing he wanted was to unwittingly spark someone's ire. But as he walked, he found himself lost in thought.

' _That girl...Zero Two...just who is she?'_ If she truly was an ANBU it would make sense why he'd never seen her before. They generally kept a low profile, even off duty. But that would also mean she should be aware of him right? What the other villagers thought of him. _'Everyone around here seems to think I'm some kind of monster. And yet she-'_

' _ **Neh, how about becoming my Darling?'**_

' _And then there's that...she said she needed a partner. But to refer to one so affectionately…_ " The fact that she had asked him of all people made his cheeks flare up. _'B-But she's an elite, I can't even graduate from the academy. What possible use could I be to her?'_

Too lost in thought, the absentminded blonde collided with someone. "I'm so sorry!" Naruto quickly apologized only to recognize a familiar face. "Mizuki-sensei?"

"Hello Naruto. I see the classroom isn't the only place you lack focus," he smiled.

"Well you know me Mizuki-sensei!" Naruto laughed, quick to don his mask again. "Was just too busy thinking about what my first decree as Hokage will be," he grinned. Naruto shuttered internally. The man before him was one of the homeroom teachers for his class, Mizuki. Naruto couldn't quite put his finger on it, but something was off about the man. He was so clean. Too clean. The man absolutely creeped him the hell out.

"Does that mean you passed all of the exams this time around?" The Chūnin's eyebrow rose in genuine curiosity. He was not there this morning to see who all passed or not.

"Nah, I'll just kick enough ass until the Old Man finally decides to hand over the hat," Naruto waved it off.

"Oh? I figured you of all people stood a chance in the secret exam-"

 **" _Whosaywhatnow?"_**

The older man blinked in surprise when he suddenly found himself face to face with his student. "You mean to tell me...you've never heard of the secret graduation exam?"

"SUCH A THING EXISTS?!" Naruto all but cried out. If this was true why was he just now finding out about it?

"Yes, Yes," the white haired Chūnin chuckled, raising s hand to calm down the boy. "It was created as one last method of giving students a chance to become ninja before being sent back to the academy."

"Wait so like...if I pass this secret test I'll be come a real, full-fledged ninja? Headband and everything?!" Naruto asked excitedly.

"Headband and everything," Mizuki chuckled I can pass it along to Hokage-sama that you're interested."

"You're goddamn right I'm interested!" The young aspiring ninja exclaimed. His day was finally starting to pick up. "Just tell em what to do!"

"Alright, alright calm down Naruto. I'm actually on my way back to the Academy now. I'll be sure to stop by Hokage-sama's office and inform him. In order to pass the test you must successfully infiltrate the vault in the Hokage's Residence, obtain the Scroll of Seals, and escape the confines of the village. If you manage to rendezvous with me at the Memorial Stone with the scroll in hand, you pass." Mizuki explained.

"Pfft that's it? Piece of cake," Naruto smirked. The elderly leader kept his Icha Icha collection under tight lock and key and Naruto managed to find that the first time he'd been invited to the Hokage's mansion. How much harder could this be?

The Chūnin instructor shuddered when he saw a sharp glint slithered through his student's eyes. "R-Right...the exam begins at midnight. I'll be on my way now so I can go make preparations."

"Sure thing!" The excited blonde proclaimed. Maybe he was wrong about the man. This news raised Naruto's spirit and he felt his desire for Ramen intensify. "And thanks again Mizuki-sensei! I won't let you down!" He waved at this teacher before speeding off in the direction of Ichuraku's.

Mizuki returned the boy's gesture with a wave of his own and smile. One that quickly shifted to a malicious leer. _'Oh I'm sure you won't_ _ **demon**_ _...'_

* * *

A soft hum filled the air followed by the sound of a turning page. A lone soul sat in the spacious office. Despite its size the room was modestly furnished, having only a desk, a bookcase, and a few pictures adorning the walls. The man had simple tastes. Bringing a battered pipe to his mouth, he took a long drag. The man took the time to turn the page once more as he took a puff. It wasn't often he found time the time to read. With an exhale, the man expelled the smoke from his lungs. The cloud rebounded off one of the windows overlooking the village before slowly disseminating into the air. Sarutobi Hiruzen giggled to himself as he read on. This notorious novel series was definitely one of his student's favorite shining accomplishments, not that he would ever say it to the ostentatious man's face.

The sun rolled lazily in the sky, showering the village with its rays. _'Today was going quite wel,'_ he found himself pondering. He didn't have any paperwork, the weather was beautiful, the village was peaceful, and most important of all: he didn't have any paperwork. Being the Hokage, it was rare to have such a moment to kick back and unwind. There was a sudden shift in the air and the aged shinobi let out a heavy sigh. _'Well it was nice while it lasted…'_ The chair groaned as it spun on its axis and Hiruzen was greeted by the sight of one of his ANBU.

"The time has come. I'm done waiting."

' _Straight to the point as usual I see,'_ A low rumble shook the Hokage's chest and a chuckle escaped his lips.

"We've already talk about this Zero Two…you're not ready." Hiruzen replied simply.

"I'm more than ready! I've done everything you asked geezer!" the pinkette hissed.

"You lost another partner just last month did you not?" The Hokage watched his charge's reaction with sharp, analytical eyes. Her shoulder's slump and her teeth clenched.

"T-That-"

"Makes eight total now. I truly believed you might've be ready this time around, but it would seem not," the Hokage lamented. He was taken aback slightly when his desk suddenly splintered beneath a small fist. He glanced back to Zero Two and flinched under the teen's intense stare. A gleam ignited her pupils with a red glow, reflecting absolute rage back at the elderly man. Even her horn were starting to faintly radiate chakra.

" **Who cares?! They were all fodder anyway! My Darling is the only partner I'll ever need!"**

"Zero Two that's enough!"

The cat-masked ANBU appeared just behind the seething girl, her hand firmly gripping the girl's shoulder. She was surprised when the Hokage waved his hand, giving her a silent command to stand down. She bit back a curse of annoyance and released Zero Two's shoulder. She was going to make sure the churlish kunoichi paid for her insubordination later.

"Zero Two my dear, you have to understand…this is for the best. What happens if you end up killing him as well? Then all of your efforts and training would have been for nothing," Hiruzen spoke, hoping the girl would see reason.

She had a bloodline like none he'd ever encountered before in all of his years as a shinobi. Zero Two's chakra system was rather unique, in that her body wasn't able to generate any chakra at all. She had the ability to form a parasitic bond with living creatures and siphon chakra from them and store it as her own. Unfortunately, whatever organism she bonds with suffers a severe backlash. Their own chakra coils slowly begin to erode until the body eventually fails, resulting in death. He had to admit, Zero Two's bloodline alongside her natural athleticism and tenacity made her quite the formidable opponent.

" _Don't you think I know that…"_

The Professor was taken aback when a small droplet splashed down next to his hand. His gaze quickly shifted to Zero Two and he felt his heart sink. The poor girl's eyes no longer held their original sheen of animosity, instead staring ahead dull and unfocused as tears rolled down her cheeks.

"It weighs on me heavily. That's why I train nonstop. Every. Single. Day. With Darling at my side, nothing could stop us. But you're keeping us apart...it's not like you care him anyway,"

Hiruzen frowned at her words. "Zero Two, Naruto means just as much to me as he does to-"

"Lies!" The pinkette barked, silencing the God of Shinobi.

"He means _everything_ to me. Every day, Darling is out there suffering, shouldering the animosity of an entire village. And he does it with a smile on his face. And what do you do? Sit behind this damn desk all day ordering me around!" Zero Two's fist tightened and her entire body bristled.

"Zero-"

"Forget it. It's obvious you intend to keep us apart."

A strong pulse shook the room and the brazen kunoichi suddenly phased out of sight. Hiruzen brought a withered finger to his head and began to gently message his temple. The soft ministrations did little to quell the pain that was steadily rising in his skull. It was then room's other remaining occupant stepped before him with a bow.

"My apologies Hokage-sama. I'll be sure t-"

"That won't be necessary Yūgao-chan," Hiruzen waved dismissively. "She's growing more restless these days. But...it has been almost 9 years by now so I understand her frustration."

An exasperated Yūgao removed her mask and gave a pleading look to her commander. "Be that as it may sir, we can't let this kind of behavior go unchecked. She has to understand she can't just lash out at others when she doesn't get her way."

"I don't think anyone can get through to her anymore. The girl is in love after," Hiruzen chuckled. His voice was tired, yet filled with so much mirth. "Besides...winds of change are sweeping across the Elemental Nations. Something big is coming our way soon...these old bones can feel it. And we don't have much time either."

A puzzled Yūgao could only stare at the Hokage trying to decipher the cryptic message as he took another drag from his pipe. "What exactly are you trying to say sir?"

A response was not immediately given. Hiruzen simply spun in his chair and stared out into the village. He couldn't help but think about a certain blonde youth. _'Oh Minato...where did I go wrong?'_ Unlike most who practiced their profession, Hiruzen had managed to live to an advanced age. In all of his nearly 69 years of life, looking after his predecessor's son was one of his greatest regrets.

Naruto was the sole legacy left behind by the 4th Hokage after his death. The boy wasn't even an hour old before tragedy struck and fate thrust an enormous burden upon the boy's shoulders. At the cost of his life, Namikaze Minato was forced to seal the Nine Tailed Fox that ravaged the village inside his own son. It was his dying wish that his son be seen as a hero, but in the end Naruto truly was just a sacrifice.

Minato was the most renowned ninja from the Hidden Leaf during his time, and that same renown brought about a myriad of enemies. When Hiruzen found Naruto, he had decided on giving the boy his mother's surname of "Uzumaki" in an effort to protect the babe from the shadows of his father's past. He was also forced out of retirement to retake up the mantle of Hokage. But as much as he pleaded, the villagers only saw the boy as the demon itself. And thus he was forced to outlaw any mention of the Nine-Tails as a last ditch effort to protect the boy from the misguided ire of the village. Then there was Zero Two.

Her exact origins were unknown and the girl herself couldn't even remember. One winter nine years ago, Naruto had suddenly up and disappeared from the village. ANBU finally caught up to him near the Wind Country border and she was with the boy. There was an altercation and Naruto ended up tapping into the Nine Tail's power, costing him the life of one of his most promising shinobi.

This is where his relationship with the mysterious girl began. She was fiercely protective of Naruto after he lost consciousness and refused to leave his side. The ANBU brought both children back to the village and with a heavy heart, Hiruzen had the both of their memories erased. O so he thought. The weight of that decision didn't really hit him until after meeting Zero Two. He could still remember the first time he saw her. Scared little thing, tucked away in the furthest corner of the cell. Her body was weak and frail from malnutrition and her entire form convulsed with trepidation. Horns peaked out from beneath the hood of her shawl, accompanied by a pair of teal orbs staring back at him apprehensively.

Shaking his head clear of the image, Hiruzen took another puff on his pipe. Maybe the time had finally come after all. If he was being honest with himself, it was only a matter of time. Zero Two wasn't as easy to keep reigned in these days compared to when she was younger. He was honestly quite surprised she managed to keep her composure until now, but it was clear her patience had just about run out. Those two had already been through enough as is, especially Zero Two. To have to live with the pain of the person you love the most forgetting you entirely. He just hoped that it wasn't too late for them. He wouldn't expect Zero Two to ever forgive him, but he at least hoped Naruto understood why he did what he did. He would understand if the boy didn't. He would be content with just seeing the two of them be happy again.

' _Thanks for the Ramen Old Man!'_

' _Look I did it geezer!'_

A smile graced the aging shinobi's features as memories resurfaced. What he would give to see their smiles again. The real ones that didn't cast up a veil to obscure their pain and suffering. "What I'm saying Yūgao is that we must prepare for the Future to come." Hiruzen said simply as he watched a flock of birds drift across the skies. "It's time we place our faith in the youth. It is they who are the future of the village and the ones who will carry the Will of Fire."

* * *

" _Hey Old Man where's my next bowl? I'm already done with this one!"_

" _Geez Naruto you really have an appetite today…"_

" _Damn right!"_

Just across the street from the humble food stand, a lone ANBU stood perched on a vacant rooftop. A wistful sigh escaped Zero Two as she observed the scene below. How she adored her Darling's smile. But how it hurt her knowing it was artificial. Years of adversity had fractured her beloved's psyche, leading to the creation of this jester persona that was a shoddy counterfeit of his original self, and she detested it.

She hated the villagers. She would've slaughtered them all without a second thought had she the chance. They were slowing destroying the one thing that had any value in her life. Her sole reason for living. She would give a special exception to the shop owner Teuchi and his daughter Ayame. The only reason she even bothered to commit their names to memory was that her Darling absolutely treasured their vendible cuisine. And they actually treated him like a human.

"Tch…Human."

The word tasted like bile rolling off her tongue. Funny how the ones who tormented her beloved as such are just as bad, if not worse, as the demon they accused him of being. She could only get so much information out of the old fart in regards to the Nine-Tails. Apparently the tailed beasts are ancient creatures constructed out of Chakra from a forgotten time and they held immense power. The Nine-Tails, strongest of them all, suddenly appeared and laid waste to the village. That also happened to be the day of her darling's birth. His parents were slain in the chaos and the monster was sealed into Naruto as a last ditch effort.

She had to admit, the thought of having a nigh exhaustible supply of chakra was enough to make the rosette salivate. But she'd witnessed firsthand the sorrowful existence that accompanied the Jinchūriki lifestyle.

Zero Two's gaze made their way back to the object of her affections. His messy blonde hair was as wild as ever, jutting out of his head with reckless abandon. Despite his mask, his eyes always had this almost…mystical luster to them. She found those beautiful baby blues of his absolutely spellbinding. Thinking back to their earlier encounter, a skittish grin split the maiden's features.

It was the first time they had exchanged words in almost a decade. It was like meeting for the first time all over again. She even got the chance to tease him a little. He sounded so much older and masculine than his younger self, but that was to be expected. He was also a few centimeters shorter than her, not that she minded. But perhaps her favorite and the most important feature of her beloved was his whiskers. Oh how deeply she was _enraptured_ by his whiskers. It was just made him even more delightfully delicious in her eyes. And she could've sworn to hell and back that she heard him _purr_ when she tasted him earlier and the thought alone got her blood racing. This matter would require a more _thorough_ investigation.

" _Thanks again for the meal guys! I'm taking off."_

" _Take care of yourself out there Naruto!"_

" _Always!"_

Zero Two watched as her darling slid out of the food stall and set off towards his apartment in the eastern sector of the village. There was just something about watching the blonde fade into the distance, shoulders sagged and head hung low, that sparked a flame within Zero Two. A sharp, repetitive beeping from her wristwatch let her know that it was almost time for her next shift. The horned girl rose to her feet and unfastened the red and white lion mask fixed to her hip. Casting a glance at the sun retreating behind the horizon, Zero Two steeled her resolve as she slipped on the mask.

' _I don't give a damn what the geezer said. Darling is_ _ **mine**_ _and I won't let anyone stand between us ever again!'_


	3. 003

_**003**_

* * *

Sirens shrieked across the night sky, jolting awake the slumbering village. Naruto landed in the desolate clearing that was Training Ground 3 and turned to face the blaring alarms. "Wow it took them a whole 20 minutes to notice. And Mizuki-sensei isn't here either." The blonde began to ponder his next move when his eyes fell on the hefty scroll tucked beneath his arm.

"This thing was in the Old Man's private vault…it _has_ to have some cool jutsu in it right? And Mizuki-sensei never said I _couldn't_ look inside…" Taking all of half a second to ponder, Naruto made his decision. He crossed the empty glade to where the three wooden posts sat. Dropping down in front of the middle post, the young Jinchūriki set the scroll down in front of him and carefully untied the string that bound it. Naruto slowly unraveled the parchment and began to scan its contents.

"Huh…everything seems to be divided into sections," he commented. "Wood Style. Requires affinity for Water and Earth Chakra. What he hell does that even mean?" Skipping ahead, Naruto skimmed through the remaining segments.

"Reaper Death Seal. Call on the power of the Shinigami to- nope, that says you die."

"Flying Thund- too complicated."

"Summoning? How laaame!"

It was then a particular entry caught the youth's eye. "Shadow Clone Jutsu. This technique creates physical copies of the user. The user's chakra is evenly distributed among every clone, giving each clone an equal fraction of the user's overall power." Naruto recited. He wasn't very keen on the idea of attempting another clone jutsu but a thought occurred to him. _'Iruka says I always use too much chakra. If this jutsu distributes chakra evenly, then all I have to do is make a bunch all at once. Shouldn't be too hard right?'_

"Certainly is a step up from those regular old clones~!"

"EEEEEEEEEEK!"

Naruto went rigid and his face turn cherry red when he heard a fit of giggles. It sounded sweet and alluring, almost like honey. Cautiously glancing over his shoulder, he noticed he was no longer alone. Perched atop one of the outer posts was an ANBU staring down at him, with her head slightly cocked to the side. She was wearing a red and white lion mask and a veil of roseate locks trailing down her back. A small pair of red horns peeked out from the top of her head.

"Z-Zero Two?" Naruto stammered.

"Oh poo~!" the girl pouted, removing her mask. "What gave me away?"

"Wait, what are you doing here?" the blonde queried. Was this part of the test? She was an ANBU after all which meant she could've come to capture him? Zero Two stepped down from the pedestal, causing the boy to jump to his feet, taking a defensive stance. She couldn't help at frown at his actions.

"I could ask you the same question. The whole village has been in an uproar ever since you stole that scroll. Quite mischievous I must say," she grinned.

"Stole?" this time Naruto's head turned to the side, only in confusion. "Mizuki-sensei said this was all a secret graduation exam…?"

Cerulean eyes narrowed sharply at the revelation. _'As I suspected...Darling is being used as a pawn in someone's scheme.'_ Zero Two' teeth clenched and her hands tightened, causing her nails to draw blood. She knew of this Mizuki he spoke of. All academy classes were required to have two homeroom teachers and he was one of her darling's. She would be sure to have his head.

"I'm afraid not Darling. You've been set up," she told him. She felt a sharp pang in her chest when she saw the light fade from his eyes.

"I see..." Naruto responded. His tone was even, lacking any trace of emotion. If he was being completely honest with himself, he wasn't surprised in the slightest. It made sense after all. Have the village pariah steal something important and have him take the fall. _'Heh...what's another reason for the villagers to hate me after all…'_ he mentally shrugged.

"Darling...?"

Naruto's gaze drifted listlessly to the rosette. She was watching him diligently, concern etched into her features. He stood there for what feel like hours holding her gaze. Gems of emerald sparkled in the moonlight, captivating the young Jinchūriki.

"You know, the Hidden Leaf is thought to be one of the most beautiful places in all of the Elemental Nations," Zero Two spoke suddenly, turning her attention skyward to observe the stars. "But honestly, it's rather disgusting. The weather is sticky and gross, all of the food is salty beyond reason, and don't even get me started on the sheer number of perverts lurking about," she snorted.

"But what's sickening the most about the place are the people. Filthy little creatures humans are. All they do is take whatever they can get their grimy little claws on and wage war. They fear what they don't know, and in turn hate what they can't understand. Yet they treat us like monsters..."

Naruto stared curiously at the stargazing girl. _'Monster? Does she mean because of her horns? I think they're pretty badass.'_ Zero Two was by far the most dazzling creature he'd ever seen in his life. Her strawberry locks were like a valance of Sakura petals. Those cyan eyes were like black holes, constantly drawing him in. _'Wait the hell did that come from? I didn't even know I knew a word that big! And why is it so warm outside all of a sudden?!'_

"Neh Darling..." Zero Two broke her silence. "Wanna run away with me?"

"W-What?"

Placing her hands behind her back, Zero Two delicately spun around to face him, pools of jade locking onto sapphire jewel. "Away from all of this...these people, this village, this lifestyle..." she spoke tenderly, stretching out her hand.

" _I can get you out of here..."_

Naruto swallowed hard as he tried to find his voice. His heart started racing and the young blonde suddenly found himself drowning in a sea of emotions that he wasn't quite familiar with. Sure, he had a crush on his classmate Sakura when he was younger, but this felt completely different.

The rosette's stare was locked on him, awaiting his response. The full moon sat peacefully in the sky just behind her, it radiant glow giving the girl an ethereal ambience. Her eyes glimmered in the darkness, reflecting what he sensed to be...longing? It was as if she were begging him to take her hand.

"I-I...I don't know wh-"

The crunching of grass across the field alerted the teens to the presence of another. "Ah Naruto, there you are. And I see you have the scroll," Mizuki said as he approached the duo.

"So the snake in the grass finally tears its head," Zero Two leveled a glared at the ivory-haired Chūnin.

' _Crap that girl is an ANBU! If only I had gotten here sooner!'_ Mizuki admonished himself. But now was not the time to dawdle. He wasn't leaving without the scroll, even if that meant killing two snot-nosed kids.

"Neh, Mizuki-sensei...just exactly what kind of exam is this?" Naruto asked carefully. His response came in the form of a sinister chuckle.

"Hey Naruto, how about I let you in on a little secret?"

"Secret? What the hell are you going on about?" The blonde spat.

"You see...there was a law created by the Third Hokage 14 years ago. After the Nine Tails was defeated, it reincarnated and took the form of a human."

"No..." Naruto shakily breathed out. The gears in his head were slowly starting to turn.

"Yes, that's right! Didn't you ever wonder why everyone hated you so much? It's because you're the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox itself!" Mizuki cackled. He watched in amusement as Naruto sank to his knees, reveling in the boy's despair. It all made sense to him now. The frosty stares and loathing whispers, all of it. They called and treated him a demon because he actually was one.

"You're wrong."

Zero Two gracefully descend from her pedestal and glowered at the older shinobi. "Naruto-kun is an exceptional person. He can be single minded and clumsy, but he works hard. No one accept him and he knows the meaning of true suffering." She ground her teeth. "And that's fine by me, none of you deserve him anyway. He's far more human than any of you filthy creatures." Zero Two has been apprehensive before, but hearing the white-haired man's word her decision was solidified.

No longer would she stand by idly watching hardships befall her Darling. She was done hiding in the shadows. Despite what the old man said, she was more than ready to walk at his side. "He is Uzumaki Naruto. And demon or not, he's the man I will love from now until the end of time. And collecting your head will be the first of many rights to rectify the wrongs imposed upon my Darling."

"Z-Zero Two..." Naruto struggled to form a thought. Between his teacher's betrayal and the mysterious girl's confession, the distraught Jinchuriki's mind was left in shambles.

Mizuki did his best to keep a straight face. "Well isn't that just fan-fucking-tastic.! The demon's mistress will get to die faithfully at his side!" Reaching to his backside, the Chūnin withdrew a large, straight-edged fuma shuriken.

This brought a smirk to the rosette's features, revealing one of her fangs. Running her thumb across the exposed canine, she drew blood and initiated a rapid series of hand signs. Zero Two began to channel chakra and clapped her hands together. "Come to me, Strelitzia!"

A sudden flash of light illuminated the area, briefly throwing back the darkness. Still blinded by the light, Naruto felt a surge in energy that nearly knocked him over. He would've been blinded as well had he not brought up his arm to shield his face. _'What in the actual hell was that?!'_ When the radiance finally subsided, Naruto lowered his guard and was left stunned.

Zero Two stood before him in a blazing glory. Chakra burst from her every pore, encompassing the rosette in a shroud of energy. In her hand she held a long, ornate partisan. At its tip was a wide, flat symmetrical blade with two sharp indentations near its base, creating a sort of cross-guard. Its pommel was embellished with the head of a roaring lion. Twirling the glaive with practiced ease, Zero Two settled into a stance. "Leave this to me Darling~!" She flashed him a quick smile.

"How touching," Mizuki said blankly as he began to spin the hefty shuriken. "I'll be taking that scroll now!" With a mighty heave, he slung the giant weapon at the downed Naruto. The bladed disc crossed the pasture at an amazing velocity but Zero Two was quick to intercept. Flourishing her long weapon, the oscillating projectile was easily deflected away. The cloak of chakra blanketing Zero Two dispersed and her horns started to emit a faint glow before bursting aflame with chakra.

Mizuki has to admit the girl's visage had taken quite a demonic and unsettling turn, but he couldn't let himself be intimidated. ANBU or not, he wasn't leaving without the scroll. Reaching for the second fuma shuriken fastened to his back, Mizuki's breathe caught in his throat when the rosette flickered out of sight.

"Shi-" Mizuki grunted from the impact. He had just barely managed draw his weapon in time to block the thrust aimed at his head.

"I'm really going to enjoy this more than I should," Zero Two grinned sadistically. It had been a long time since she'd been able to actually stretch her legs. The familiar weight of Strelitzia in her hand brought an exhilarating nostalgia. Pushing away, Zero Two reset her stance and pressed on with her offensive.

Naruto, never having found his way back to his feet, sat in the grass watching the skirmish unfold with a dumbfounded expression. _'Wow…so this is what a battle between real ninja is like,'_ His eyes locked onto Zero Two, sparking something within the Jinchūriki. _'Did…did she really mean what she said? I mean of course the ANBU would know about…what I am…and yet she doesn't care.'_ The blonde had spent his entire life desperately seeking attention and acknowledgement. And now he was receiving both from a girl he'd just met, well at least as far as he knew. The way she spoke so fondly about him, one would be inclined to believe she'd known him his whole life. But that was impossible, today was the first time He'd ever met Zero Two…right? _'Argh! All of this is giving me a headache!'_ Naruto mentally cursed as he pressed his hands to his temples. Emotions we're such a nuisance to deal with.

Mizuki struggled helplessly against the girl's assault. She was methodically picking away at what little defense he managed to erect, slowly wearing down her prey.

Mizuki's teethed clenched as he narrowly avoided a stab to the gut. Using his momentum, the Chūnin quickly somersaulted away. "Let's see how you handle this!" The air around the white-haired nin suddenly distorted, causing him to disappear.

Zero Two halted her charge, scanning the area for her mark. Taking in a deep breath, a mischievous grin split the rosette's face. Flourishing her weapon, she extended her partisan behind her, striking an unseen mass. A dismayed Mizuki materialized on the tip of Strelitzia's blade. "Genjutsu won't save you from the reality that will soon be your death!"

But something felt off to the adolescent ANBU. Upon closer inspection of the corpse, her eyes narrowed when she noticed faint shimmers stemming from the joints. "A Puppet…" The ground behind Zero Two exploded, briefly enveloping the field in a cloud of dirt. Raising her to shield her face, a low growl escaped the teen. The earth beneath her feet shifted and Mizuki burst from the ground, kunai in hand. But he wasn't fast enough to outrun the hybrid's senses. Gracefully sidestepping the sloppy strike, an annoyed Zero Two drew back her fist. "This ends now!"

A delicate fist drove itself into Mizuki's sternum, causing the stout bone to crack. Naruto's eyes expanded to almost comical proportions as he watched his former teacher's body blast off towards the tree line. The human projectile crashed into a trunk with a sickening thump before slumping to the toughened soil below.

Zero Two let out a most unladylike snort before nodding in approval at her work. The chakra illuminating her horns quietly dispersed as she felt her reserves run dry. She absolutely despised the blood coursing through her veins. She couldn't generate her own chakra, making her nothing more than a marionette with its strings cut. Even with her own natural strength, she was still useless without a partner. But none of that was going to matter anymore. She finally had her darling. Now she could have _all the chakra she wanted_!

Driveling at the thought, Zero Two twirled Strelitzia in her palm. With a mere flick of the wrist, the glaive was banished in a dazzling light. Spinning on her heel, Zero Two turned to the stupefied blonde. "Neh, let's go home now Darling~!" she said with a toothy grin.

The rosette's cheerful demeanor shattered when she felt a surge of chakra behind her. _'W-What is this power? It's so sinister…'_ Turning on a dime, Zero Two spotted the source of the foul energy.

A dark chuckle reverberated thought out the glade as a monstrous form stalked its way toward them. "I was hoping to save Orochimaru-sama's gift but you leave me no choice!" Mizuki laughed. He stepped into the moonlight, causing the two youth to flinch at his new form. Gone was the lanky man from before, instead replaced by a muscle bound behemoth. Strange black marks now littered the man's body from head to toe. Mizuki cracked his neck and leered lecherously at the teens. "Now then, who wants to die first~?"

Zero Two grit her teeth in frustration. She didn't have a drop of chakra left but she couldn't back down. She had to protect her darling at all cost. "Stay back Darling. I'll take care of this."

"Are you crazy?!" Naruto blanched. The blonde bounced to his feet, landing at the rosette's side. "There's no way I can let you face him alone. Not when I'm the one's he's after." Zero Two felt her heart swell at her beloved's words. _'Oh Darling…'_

"How touching..." a voice whispered behind them, causing both teens to lock up with fear. A powerful blow struck Naruto in his solar plexus, lifting the boy off his feet and expelling all the air from his lungs. Zero Two watch in horror as his eyes rolled to the back of his head before being disposed of by a crushing roundhouse.

Not giving the girl time to react, Mizuki spun around and lashed out with a backhand. Zero Two just managed bring her arm to intercept the blow, but the force alone shook her to her core. _'He's a LOT stronger than before!'_

A grotesque chuckle slipped out of Mizuki as he watched the girl before him struggle. "What happened to all of that tenacity from earlier?"

"You bastard," Zero Two ground out. **"I'm going to rip you to shreds!"** She roared, her voice gaining an ominous undertone as a streak of crimson flashed through her eyes.

"With this new power of mine..." Turning his hand, Mizuki took hold of the Rosette's wrist, much to her surprise. The brute of a man planted a foot and began to viciously slam her repeatedly into the ground like a rag doll. "I'd like to see you try!" Mizuki planted his foot and sent Zero Two sailing. Her limp form made a beeline for the wall of trees, only to be intercepted by an orange flash. Naruto grunted from the impact and did his best to insulate the girl in his arms as they crashed, creating a small crater.

"That's definitely gonna hurt in the morning..." Naruto winced. It didn't help he was still feeling the pain of Mizuki's previous blows. Looking down he saw Zero Two was tucked away safely on his chest. Lifting her head, confusion dwelled in her disoriented eyes when they fell on him. There was a streak of what he assumed to be her blood, only it was blue, trailing from her scalp and down her face. One of her horns was chipped while the other was outright broken off. He was just glad that she was still alive.

"D-Darling?"

"Zero Two, we need to get out of here! He's too strong!" Naruto spoke hurriedly, taking notice of the monstrous form stalking towards their position.

"No can do Darling," Zero Two rasped out. She lazily rolled off the blonde and used the ground to force her dislocated shoulder back into place. She uttered a sharp cry before biting back the pain. Shakily rising to her feet, Zero Two flashed the younger boy a radiant smile. "That scroll he's after belongs to the old man and he hurt you. That's two afflictions against my precious people that I can _not_ allow to go unchecked." Turning to face the rogue ninja, her eyes hardened into a piercing glare. "And if I don't make a stand now, who else will?"

"Well, well, well...I'm impressed you're still alive, let alone still standing," Mizuki chuckled.

"I made a promise to kill you. It hasn't been fulfilled yet." Zero Two spat out a glob of blue blood that had been pooling in her mouth.

"You've certainly got spunk girly, I'll give you that," the ivory-haired man laughed mirthfully. "As a reward, I'll show the full night of my power!" Mizuki's chakra spiked and his body began to mutate. His muscles expanded even more, adding to his already bulky frame. Orange fur crawled out of his skin while the many black marks circumvent his body lengthened into stripe.

"What the hell is that..." Naruto shuddered at the man's new form. Mizuki had taken on the likeness of a tiger, complete with a set of razor-sharp fangs.

"This boy, is true power. Don't worry, you'll get a taste as soon as I'm deal with your cute little girlfriend here," the werecat ogled Zero Two. Just looking at the feral man pissed her off to no end. Her entire body shook irritably. She was angry that she was out of chakra and couldn't produce her own. She was angry at this man for hurting her Darling. But most of all, she was angry with herself for not being able to protect him.

Her mind began to cloud over in anger as her frustration grew with each passing second. Unbeknownst to the seething kunoichi, a spark ignited deep within, setting her chakra coils on fire. Chilling, cyan orbs bled crimson and her traits grew more animalistic. Her horns were inflamed with chakra tinted a baleful shade of scarlet. Zero Two suddenly phased out of existence, shocking both males. She materialized before the chimera in a flash of crimson, fist poised to strike. **"Just die already!"** With a savage howl, Zero Two blasted Mizuki's bristly face with a vicious haymaker, banishing the beastly man from the training ground..

Naruto's heart skipped a beat when he saw Zero Two drop to her knees. He rushed to the kunoichi side and was left speechless by her battered frame. She was breathing heavily and the flame-like chakra lighting her horns evaporate once more. _'Damn it...I don't know what that chakra was just now, but it really helped. If only I had more...'_

"That was amazing Zero Two!" Naruto exclaimed as he helped the injured girl to her feet, offering his shoulder for support.

"Thanks Darling. Now-"

" **ARRRGH!"**

Mizuki exploded from the forest, racing towards the couple at an incredible velocity. "YOU'RE DEAD YOU LITTLE BITCH!" he roared. Naruto found himself petrified with fear. Killing intent was rolling off the beast man in waves and he had a bloodthirsty glam in his eye. Limited on options, Naruto's body reacted instinctively.

Zero Two grunted in pain when she suddenly found herself discarded to the ground. "Darling?!"

"Get out of here Zero Two!" The blonde commanded. The rosette watched in horror as her beloved stood his ground against the rampaging behemoth.

"Touching!" Mizuki barked as he slammed his shoulder into the blonde. Naruto braced himself against the beast man's tackle but he was still driven back. The force was so great that the blonde's legs carved out a pair of troughs through the terrain.

"Darling!"

"You think you stand a chance boy?!" Mizuki growled at the blonde.

"Fuck off! You're not gonna lay a hand on her!" Naruto spat.

"Is that so?" Mizuki shattered the boy's guard with a powerfully uppercut, causing Naruto to drop to his knees. The chimera lifted his foot high above the stunned blonde as a psychotic gleam shone in his eyes. "You had this coming you stupid demon fox!"

The earth ruptured as Mizuki slammed his foot down on the unsuspecting Naruto's chest. A silent scream escaped the Jinchūriki and his mind went blank. Mizuki was immediately besieged by a series of bestial slashes. The beast man let out a growl as he channeled chakra into his foot.

" _ **Earth Style: Tremor Step!"**_

The terrain crumbled beneath the sinewy appendage, causing a quake to violently shake the earth. A startled Zero Two stumbled into sight only to be snatched off her feet by the burly monstrosity. She clawed desperately at the tiger's face but he had a firm grip on her neck. "That's right, struggle some more for me little kitten," Mizuki cackled.

Naruto lay broken and beaten in the crater Mizuki had driven the boy into. Darkness was slowly encroaching in his vision and every cell in his body was fighting to stay conscious. Mizuki's abhorrent chortles faded into nothingness as all sound began to die out. Zero Two was calling out to him as well, but even her voice was lost in the eerie silence. He watched as she struggled to break free from the monstrous man's grasp, desperation taking root in her eyes as she reached out for him. _'Damnit...this is all my fault. If only I weren't so weak! Zero Two only got hurt because of me...'_ Naruto lamented, cursing himself for not being stronger. But unbeknownst to the blonde Jinchūriki, a force began to stir deepen within. One that had lie dormant for years. Until now.

' _ **Tch...Still as useless as ever brat. If only my continued existence didn't depend on your own.'**_

Clouds rolled across the night sky, obscuring the moon. Without light from the celestial body, the forest was plunged into a chilling darkness. Mizuki focus remained on the young kunoichi flailing in his grasp, oblivious to the orange miasma seeping out of the boy's body.

"You know...I rather like 'em feisty. Oh the fun we could get into~!" He eyed the teen hungrily. Zero Two revolted at the thought. Just being around this man made her skin crawl and pissed her off even more. But as she was about to voice her ire, she noticed a hand take hold of Mizuki's jawline.

" **I said not to lay a hand on her..."**

Zero Two felt her equilibrium shift abruptly and she blinked in confusion as her view was suddenly clouded with orange. Glancing up, she was shocked to see Naruto towering over her. "D-Darling?!"

Naruto, who'd been glaring off into the distance, shifted his attention back to the maiden nestled in his embrace. "You're not hurt are you Zero Two?" His words fell on deaf ears, as Zero Two was too enthralled by the Blonde's appearance. His canines hung out of his mouth in a alluring fashion and his whiskers had grown even more pronounced. His hair was shaggier than before while his now slitted eyes radiated with vermillion energy. But what enamored her the most was the golden vulpine tail gently swaying from his backside.

"Beautiful…"

"Huh-"

Without warning, Zero Two crashed her lips Naruto's own. The poor boy lost all bearing as well as his balance, sending both teens tumbling to the dirt. But even amongst the confusion and loss of stability, the duo never broke apart. A wave of ecstasy washed over the couple as a column of red light flared up around them, piercing the heavens. Naruto failed to suppress a gasp when Zero Two's arms wrapped under his own. She pulled him closer, grinding her lithe figure against the stunned blonde, hungrily meshing their lips together. Naruto was only shaken from his stupor by a sharp tug on his chakra, causing animalistic instinct to swell within the boy. Refusing to be dominated, Naruto rose up on his elbows, returning Zero Two's affections with equal Fervor and eliciting a carnal purr from the vixen.

" _ **Oh? An interesting change of events..."**_

The vortex of chakra dispelled and asphyxiation began to set in as the requirement of oxygen forced the teens apart. Zero Two collapsed in Naruto's lap, resting her forehead on his. "I finally got you Darling~!" She beamed. Naruto felt his chest heat up once more from the pure and unconditional affections her eyes reflected back at him.

"Neh Darling, let's continue this later after we finish up here~!" With a playful smirk, Zero Two licked the blonde's cheek, causing him to flush the same shade as her hair. Rising to her full height, Zero Two dusted herself off before helping her beloved to his feet as well.

"R-Right..."

Mizuki peeled himself off the ground and leveled a glare at the couple, only to find himself overtaken with fear. The same feeling of dread from 14 years ago overcame him, paralyzing the man in place. Even with his night vision, the world around him was shrouded in darkness. The only faintest traces of light were the two sets of crimson glares trailing circles around him.

" **What happened to all of that tenacity from earlier?"** A demonic voice mocked from the shadows.

" **Neh...Mizuki-sensei. How about I show you a** _ **real**_ **demon."**

"GAHH!"

The brute dropped to a knee after losing all feeling in his left leg. He could feel his Achilles' tendon had been severed, rendering the appendage useless.

 **"Oh what _fun_ I can have with this one,"** the other voice giggled. Mizuki roared in anguish as lacerations split his chest open. The chimera was rendered defenseless against the shotgun of blows that assaulted him from all sides. A fist caved his chest in, causing blood to spurt from the beast's mouth as he collapsed to his knees. Claws dug into Mizuki's wiry neck, locking him in place as they chocked the life out of him.

" **You brought this upon yourself,"** Naruto's commanding voice shook the older man to his core.

" **STRELITZIA!"**

Scarlet lightning screamed across the night sky and crashed down into the still forest. The elegant glaive manifested in Zero Two's hand in a flash of brilliance. She twisted the shaft, causing a rift to form in the middle of the blade. The tip of the pole discharged a white hot flame that tapered into a sharp point just past the tip of the blade. The intense heat generated caused the entire spearhead to radiate with an intense, magma-like glow.

A storm of chakra surged around the kunoichi as she began to gather her strength. Keen eyes cleaved through the blackness of the night to find their target. **"Bring him to me Darling~!"** The rosette sang.

By now Mizuki was trembling uncontrollably and his blood ran cold when a fiendish simper obscured Naruto's face. **"You heard the lady. She _did_ promise after all."**

"Wait! Narut-"

Mizuki's voice died out when a foot drove itself though his face. Taking hold of his prey's ankles, Naruto started to rapidly gyrate in place. Childish laughter filled the air as Naruto launched the broken Mizuki in Zero Two's direction.

The rosette licked her lips in anticipation as she channeled all of her strength into her arm. **"Know your place!"** Hefting Strelitzia over her shoulder, Zero Two catapulted the spear, causing the earth to implode beneath her. Strelitzia whistled across the clearing like a shooting star, striking the crippled Mizuki with enough force to completely negate his momentum. The beast man vomited blood as the smoldering blade tore into his chest cavity. Almost instantaneously, Zero Two flashed into existence before him, taking hold of the Glaive's shaft. A maniacal grin split her face, reveling in the man's terror as he sank into despair.

" _ **Bye Bye~!"**_

Strelitzia's blade glimmered briefly before detonating in a spectacular fashion. Mizuki's body was erased by a streamlined inferno that illuminated the entire forest and pierced the wall of trees bordering the training ground. A massive streak of fire tore through the forest, incinerating everything in its path. The blazing spectacle began to die out moment later, leaving behind a chasm of scorched earth and embers in its wake.

Naruto let out a low whistle as he admired his partner's handiwork. "Wow…that wa-Oof!" a pink blur slammed into the blonde's torso, nearly knocking him over. The young Jinchūriki could only blink in surprise as Zero Two nuzzled him.

"You were amazing Darling~!" she beamed.

"Er…thanks, you too." Naruto awkwardly scratched his head as the rosette clung to him. The vermillion chakra shrouding the couple evaporated and Naruto was suddenly overwhelmed with nausea. "Ugh my head…" All remaining strength he had vanished as his body began to shut down. He slowly pitched forward only to be caught by Zero Two.

"Rest Darling," she whispered into his ear as she cradled his head to her bosom, gently running her fingers through his unkempt locks. "I'm here now and I promise to never leave your side ever again."

Naruto struggled to keep his eyes open, but paralyzing fatigue and Zero Two's assuaging aura were enough to pacify the blonde. "Zero Two…" His voice trailed off into a yawn before exhaustion finally claimed him. Naruto caught one final glance of Zero Two's doting eyes fixed on him before floating out of consciousness.


	4. 004

_**004**_

* * *

The skies above the Hidden Leaf bled orange as rays of light peaked out from behind the horizon, announcing the arrival of dawn. Sapphire eyes cautiously fluttered open and a drowsy yawn filled the air. A pain groaned reverberated throughout the small room as Naruto returned to the land of the living.

 _'Ugh my head…what the hell happened last night. Last thing I remember w-'_

A weight shifted on his torso, derailing the blond's train of thought. Sparing a glance down, his vision was obscured by the a feathery pink mass splayed across his chest. His attention was drawn to a pair of mangled, red growths jutting out from beneath the pink curtain. Almost as if a switched had been flipped inside his mind, a flood of memories came surging back to the young Jinchūriki. _'Zero Two…'_

He remembered everything from the night before: Mizuki's betrayal, Zero Two's confession, and the fact that he was the reincarnation of the Nine Tailed Demon Fox that attacked the village fourteen years ago. He didn't want to believe it at first, but there was no denying it after that orange chakra surfaced. To think, all this time, he was the one responsible for the most calamitous tragedy to ever befall the village. It certainly explained his pariah status.

 _'If someone wiped out my family I would think too kindly of them either...'_ He mused as he stared up at the ceiling. _'Mizuki said the Old Man created a law, to keep people from bringing it up. But...why?'_

For the life of him, Naruto just couldn't make sense of that. Why was he even still alive? And living in the village no less? Sure the most logical course of action would be to put an end to the one responsible for such a travesty. Or at the very least expel them. What was the point of even keeping him around? There were many occasions over the years where he tried to escape the village, but to no avail. No matter how far he made it, or how well he managed to hide himself, he was always found and dragged back to the village. Back to the unyielding scorn of the population, pelting him like a hail of rocks. Back to the alienation forced upon him by his peers. Back to everlasting loneliness he so desperately longed to escape...

 _"He is Uzumaki Naruto. And demon or not, he's the man I will love from now until the end of time."_

Naruto craned his head downward and his eyes fell on Zero Two's slumbering form. She had one of his arms pinned to his side beneath her own, allowing her to snuggle up even closer to him. Using his free hand, he ran a finger against one of her horns. Unlike its cracked twin, this one had been completely broken off. 'She got hurt protecting me…' he thought solemnly as her words played over again in his mind. "Love…" he whispered softly, tasting the word. It was a foreign concept to him. Sure, he had a big crush on his classmate Sakura growing up, but it was nothing more than a childish infatuation that he quickly grew out of.

It was hard so say he knew what love was, or even understood it for that matter. He'd spent his entire life until now alone. No father to train him and that he could aspire to be like someday. No mother to shower him with praises and kiss his wounds to make him feel better. And worst of all, he had no one just to simply welcome him home. Love was a completely foreign concept to the socially inept teen. But this girl…she openly displayed affections for him, even going as far to put her life on the line for him. And he hadn't even known her a whole day!

 _'Just who are you...?'_

The way Zero Two spoke to him with such familiarity would easily make one inclined to believe that they had a personal history with one another. Part of him really hoped that wasn't the case, because that would me he'd forgotten her. He would never be able to live with himself if he ever forgot someone precious to him, especially considering he'd never had such a thing before.

"Darling you pervert…"

Naruto froze at the subtle words. Zero Two's head shifted to look up at him, a playful expression decorating her features. "Fondling me like so while I'm asleep."

"N-N-No! Its not like that I swear!" Naruto quickly defended. "It's just yo-"

Zero Two shot forward and locked her lips with his own, silencing the stuttering blond. Naruto flinched at the sudden contact and his body went rigid. The way their lips meshed together was euphoric and it didn't take long for Naruto to ease into the kiss. Her lips were soft like silk, and she tasted like honey. Zero Two pulled away with a smirk, much to the boy's discontent.

"Good morning Darling~!" she chirped.

"G-Good morning…" Naruto managed to utter, still quite flustered.

"Nyaaaa~!" Zero Two purred, curling up to his side once more. "That was the best sleep I've ever had in my life!" Naruto could only stare disbelievingly at his cheerful companion. would be lying to himself if he didn't agree with her sentiment. He didn't know the last time he'd slept so soundly.

"Hey Zero Two..."

"Yes Darling?" She hummed.

"Last night...what you said...did you mean it?"

"Of course I did. Why wouldn't I?" She giggled into his chest.

"Because...of what I am ya know..."

Furrowing a brow in confusion, Zero Two lifted her head to face her beloved. "My Darling?"

"Uh..no, not that."

"Strikingly Handsome?"

"N-No..."

"The Jinchūriki of the Nine Tails?"

"No, not tha-" Naruto's eyes crinkled as they found their way to the rosette. "What did you just say?"

Unceremoniously mewling her way into a sitting position, Zero Two let out a huff. "Despite what that _vermin_ said, you are _not_ the Nine Tails itself," she told him reassuringly.

"I'm...not?" Naruto queried, head tilted in confusion.

"Of course not. The geezer said you're what's known as a 'Jinchūriki'. He wouldn't tell me much, only that the Nine-Tails couldn't be through conventional methods. The only option left was to seal it away inside of a child. And they chose you.." Gone was the sacchariferous inflection that laced her voice. Her words took on a more somber tone.

"Ah I see..." Naruto responded lamely. Life was just full of surprises lately. He wasn't sure who's version of events he preferred more. Part of him wanted to believe that he would've been better own just being the beast reincarnated. And now he was being told that said beast was so powerful that the only way to defeat it was to cram it inside of his infant self. He'd had his freedom stolen away from him at birth. And where we're his parent throughout all this? Didn't they care? Did they not want him...

Zero Two felt her heart clench as she watch his face contort in pain, struggling to handle the inner turmoil that was sinking into his heart. "Naruto." This was the second time ever that she used his first name, and it was enough to distract the apprehensive blonde from his funereal brooding. "I don't care what other people think. So what if we're demons? So what if they see us as monsters? As long as I have you at my side, none of that matters." Her tone was firm, yet also comforting. Taking his rough, calloused hand in her own delicate one, Zero Two intertwined their fingers brought them both to her chest, resting just over her heart.. "All we need is each other and I promise to never leave your side ever again. You're my everything...I love you..." The pink-haired oni was being uncharacteristically shy, and Naruto could've sworn he saw traces of pink dusting her cheeks.

Trying to process all of the life-changing influx of information that had been forced upon him in the last day had left his mind in shambles. But just like the night before, the pink-haired ANBU was somehow able to quell the tempest of emotions that overwhelmed his heart. Her words silenced the raging waters desperately trying to plummet hum into a sea of despair, while her words wear like a gentle breeze trying to set him back on course. But what enchanted him the most about Zero Two were the soft, viridian jewel he found himself lost in once more. They we're filled to the brim with so much passion and ardency, reflecting all of the love she held dearly for him without a trace of deception. Put simply, the blond was mesmerized and it made him feel qualmish, like a rabble of butterflies we're fluttering about in his chest. "Beautiful..." The Uzumaki breathed out, causing the girl's blush to intensify. It was the first word that came to mind when gazing at the rosette but he hadn't actually meant to say it out loud. It was only now that Naruto noticed their similar states of undress. Both teens were clad in only their undergarments, yet Zero Two was topless as well. The sight of her lithe figure, supple curves, and perky breasts was too much for the poor Jinchūriki and his mind short circuited.

"N-N-Naked!"

"Of course," Pink tresses bounced as Zero Two 's head tilted in confusion. "I have nothing to hide from you Darling." Taking notice of her lover's uneasiness, mischief took root in the demoness' eyes. "Or I take it you like what you see Darling? Because I certainly do," Zero Two purred and she leaned in closer to her beloved once more. Her breasts trailed across his toned chest, causing Naruto to turn even redder. Zero Two was enjoying herself a lot more than she should have been. She just reveled in watching him squirm under her touch. With a mirthful giggle, she stole a kiss from the stunned blonde and rested her forehead against his own. "Darling is just the cutest~!"

Naruto lie there, locking gazes with the alluring Oni. She had certainly managed to stir up a maelstrom of emotions within the Uzumaki once again. But unlike before, it didn't leave him feeling uneasy. The sheer amount of unwavering love and adoration radiated by those sparkling cyan orbs was enough to banish all apprehension taking sinking is claws into the boy's heart, brought on by a sudden influx of harrowing memories. She was the first person to truly acknowledge him.

"S-So..." Naruto began meekly, trying to find his voice. "What does that mean for us?"

"Hm~?" The older girl hummed in response.

"I'm not good at reading these kinds of situations," Naruto admittedly sheepishly. He didn't exactly have the most refined social skill. "Does this mean...we're together now? Like...dating?"

Zero Two retreated slowly to ponder the thought. "I suppose so in a human sense of things, we are." She had never and eyes for anyone other than the sun-kissed blonde. But when she thought about it, this was the first step towards making their childhood promise a reality. "That means Darling is all mines now~!"

Silence loomed over the couple before Naruto finally spoke, a goofy grin splitting his face. "I've never had a girlfriend before.."

"Well lucky for you Darling, because you're stuck with me forever and ever now," Zero Two beamed at him.

"F-Forever..?" Naruto parroted. The jubilant oni leaned in once more, gently poking the boy's forehead with her horns.

 _"And ever~!"_

Naruto's lips slowly curled into a smile. He actually kind of like the sound of that. for the first time in his life, fate didn't seem to be set on using him as its whipping boy this time around. A light thumping sound filled the air and Zero Two felt something brush against her leg. Turning to investigate, an excited gasp escaped the bubbly rosette.

Naruto's eyes bulged when he felt a tingling sensation race up his spine. Jolting upwards, he spotted Zero Two burying her face into his tail. "A-Ah!"

"It's so fluffy!" He heard her squeal into the cream-tinted fur. "I'm gonna die~!"

"Z-Z-Zero Two p-please that-" a poorly suppressed moan slipped out of the blond Jinchūriki, to the surprise of both teens. A reddened Naruto quickly snatched away the auxiliary limb and shuffled to the corner of the bed, folding his legs to his chest to form a protective barrier.

"Aww! Don't be like that Darling. It's adorable!" Zero Two whined in protest. And just when she thought he couldn't get any cuter.

"N-No!" Naruto protested. "It just proves I'm a Demon like they all say I am..." he said forlornly. He'd had his tail for as long as he could remember, but it was the Old Man that taught him how to hide it with a transformation. Growing up, he always thought it was a birth defect of some sort or maybe a side effect from a bloodline one of his parents possessed. But after hearing the truth last night, it all made sense now. It was a perverted mutation, which he could only guess was thanks to the demon sealed within him.

Frowning at her beloved's reclusive actions, Zero Two carefully crawled over to the blonde. "I think it's cute," she cooed, gently running her fingers across the silvery fur that lined the tip of his tail. "You shouldn't feel ashamed Darling. If people can't accept you for who you truly are, then they have no place in your life. And no matter what happens, I'll always be on your side." Naruto felt the tension in his body slowly ebb away under the rosette's touch. It was like she knew exactly what to say to make him feel better. He wasn't completely convinced she wasn't an angel that had fallen from the heavens. A low mumble emanated from the hanyō which the oni didn't quite catch. "What was that Darling?"

"I said don't call it cute…" Naruto groused once more. "You only call girls 'cute'" he shot her a niggling glare. He was put off by his girlfriend's frolicsome smirk.

"Oh Daaarling~!" Zero Two cheeped as she pounced on the callow blonde.

"Z-Zero Two!"

"It's so fluffy~!"

"Ow! D-D-Don't pull on it!"

"I just want to snuggle it~!"

"Stooooooop!"

* * *

Naruto straggled forward uncomfortably, unsettled by the stares directed at them. While trying to escape Zero Two's perilous onslaught of his tail, a messenger bird had arrived at his apartment. It was from the Hokage, congratulating himself and Zero Two on stopping Mizuki and returning the Scroll of Seals. It also stated that they were both to report to the academy and then his office after being dismissed by Iruka.

And now they were leisurely strolling through the village towards the academy. He wouldn't feel so uneasy if it were for the sheer amount of attention they were drawing to themselves. Out of the two of them, Zero Two was by far the more captivating one. She was adorned in a lusterless, black body suit that had no sleeves and slits running down both sides, revealing much of her supple skin. The suit was only held together thanks to an ornate, crimson obi tied around her waist that resembled butterfly wings. She also donned a pair of white, low-heeled shin length sandals and black fingerless gloves that stretched up her forearms. Her guise was completed with a vermillion blazer that had the Uzumaki Clan symbol sewn onto the back, much like Naruto's own. With a file, a small hand mirror, and twenty minutes of rather deep concentration, she had managed to file her horns back to their proper shape. Only now they weren't quite as long as before, just barely penetrating her veil of silky pink tresses.

 _"The demon has a tail now. He's showing his true colors!"_

 _"That girl has horns…to think he actually had a mistress."_

 _"So there's two of them now?!"_

For the first time ever in his life, Naruto was walking around in public with his tail on full display. At the rosette's encouragement, he elected to not hide his furry extension. As a result of that and having the horned girl at his side, the whispers floating around them seemed to increase tenfold. It made the young Jinchūriki tremble with every step. It felt as if all the animosity of the village was gravitating towards him, like a vile effluvium trying to snuff out his life. And then there was Zero Two, his newly, self-appointed, highly animated girlfriend. True to her word, she was latched to his side, intertwining her fingers with his own as she carelessly nibbled away on a stick of honey-flavored pocky. Her lustrous smile and sprightly personality was like a lantern that warded off the encroaching darkness. Glancing at the older girl, he couldn't help but smile as she munched away on the honey-coated wafers while joyfully swinging their conjoined hands. It honestly felt like he could do anything with her at his side.

"Neh, Darling."

"Hm?"

"Say 'Ahh'~!"

The blonde blinked, and he noticed that she was offering him one of her snacks. The way her face lit up and her body vibrated with excitement, he couldn't possibly turn her down. Accepting the treat, Naruto chomped down on the sugary morsel.

"Like it?"

"Yeah, it's pretty good."

"I don't mind sharing then~!"

Before he could protest, Zero Two took the stick of pocky she'd been nibbling on and popped it in his mouth. With a satisfactory nod, she flashed him a cheeky grin before resting her head on his shoulder. Naruto felt his face heat up as he watch her retrieve another treat seemingly from nowhere. He wasn't used to her constant displays of affection, and it was even more flustering out in public. Especially when nearly every pair of eyes in the vicinity were fixed on them. A comfortable silence descended upon the couple and they continued their way to the academy.

Upon arriving at the administrative building, the duo discreetly slipped inside, ignoring more glares and whispers from the faculty. They made their way down the long, winding corridors of the schoolhouse and before coming to a stop in front of a door labeled 5-A.

Naruto reached for the handle only to hesitantly stop short. How would his classmates act? Some of them didn't exactly have the most...exemplary characteristics. Hell, how would Zero Two act? And why was he even coming back to class in the first place if he wasn't a ninja? What's that Old Man got up his sleeve? The disquiet blonde was beginning to murmur aloud, much to his companion's amusement. He found himself drawn back to reality by a gentle poke on his forehead.

Naruto blinked and stared widely as Zero Two retreated with a soft, reassuring smile and held out her hand. Bringing up a finger to rub the spot where she's poked him with her horn, he couldn't help but chuckle. Taking her delicate hand in his own, he gave a firm nod and slid open the door to his classroom.

The whole place was in an uproar, which was to be expected on the day after graduation. Everyone had finally seen their years of hard work and training come to fruition and became ninja. Well, _almost_ everyone. Naruto felt out of place amongst his peers but the Old Man had instructed him to be there as well. He was hoping to just slip in unnoticed and quietly shuffle over to his seat. But the sudden and eerie silence that befell the entire room said otherwise.

A small glance was all it took to confirm his suspicions that all of his peer had third gazed firmly fixed on himself and Zero Two. Or more specifically, their interlocked fingers. The rosette was too busy glancing around the room in curiosity to notice the stares directed at her.

"N-Naruto...always late to the party," a brown-haired boy awkwardly stepped forward. He was clad in black pants and a matching leather jacket with a fur lined collar. Bit of his cheeks were tattooed with red fanglike markings. "And what's with the tail? Don't tell me it's part of your next prank or something?" The boy grinned as he gestured to the bushy extremity protruding from the blonde's backside.

"Now, now Kiba, don't want to ruin the surprise. Besides, I beat Iruka-sensei here and that's saying something," Naruto rebutted. He sighed internally for the scapegoat provided to him by the brunet. He could easily sell the idea that his tail was part of an upcoming gimmick, at least for the time being.

"Ha! You got that right!" Kiba snorted with with laughter. "Soo...who's the girl?" He asked, addressing the elephant in the room.

"O-Oh well you see..." Naruto sheepishly scratched the back of his head as he tried to find his words. He quickly began to regret his needy desire to be the center of attention.

"Neh Darling, where's your seat?" Zero Two suddenly spoke up. For the first time since they had entered, the class broke their silence and hushed whispers began snaking around the room.

"Er...second row, first seat on the far righ-eyie!"

Zero Two snatched him forward suddenly, ignoring her beloved's yelp as she glided up the short staircase leading to the desks, dragging the hapless blond behind her. Upon reaching her destination, Zero Two noticed there was another boy occupying the seat closest to the window. He had a spiky head full of raven hair and an indifferent, yet almost annoyed expression marring his features. Ignoring the angsty teen, Zero Two quickly ushered a confused Naruto into his chair.

"Um...excuse me?"

The rosette's head swiveled around where she found another girl standing on the step just above them. Like herself, this girl had rosy pink hair and green eyes, only her hair wasn't quite as long and her eyes were a much deeper shade. Her hair was held in place by a red-clothed forehead protector which acted as a hairband. She wore a sleeveless red top with white circle pattern on the back, accompanied by black gloves, low-heel, knee-high boots, and black shorts underneath a short grey apron skirt with matching elbow protectors. Naruto sighed internally. Haruno Sakura, the elected representative of Class 5-A and self-proclaimed president of the unofficial Sasuke Uchiha Fan Club, patent pending.

The girl's track record spoke for itself. Top grades of the class, impeccable chakra-control, and a likable personality that everyone seemed to gravitate towards. But Naruto has seen first hand what lay dormant behind that cute demeanor; a ruthless bully willing to do whatever it took to get her way. "I don't think we've met before," the younger pinkette offered her hand. "My name is Sakura Haruno, Representative of Class 5-A. And you are?"

The older rosette stared at the manicured appendage with scrutiny, before shooting a pointed stare at the younger girl. "Not interested."

Sakura's eyebrow twitched slightly but she kept her composure. "Ok then...what brings you here? You're not apart of our class and I haven't gotten word of any new students joining us. Especially considering we've already graduated. Her tone was inquisitive but everyone could easily pick up on her snooty undertone.

"Who knows," Zero Two gave a shrug before gracefully situating herself in Naruto's lap, much to the Uzumaki's embarrassment. An addible gulp could be heard from the boy when he saw a mischief flash through his girlfriend's eye. "I'm only here for my Darling."

Second wave of whispers washed over the class, only now it would barely even qualify as hushed talking at this point. Sakura for her part blanched at the thought. "Darling...Naruto?" She stifled a laugh.

"Yes, _my_ Darling," Zero Two reaffirmed with a grin. To drive the point home, her arms slithered around Naruto's neck and she tugged him close, pinning the bright red blonde to her bosom.

"Zhm Tm!" Naruto's muffled screech filled the air.

A loud thump rang emanated from the other side of the room, like something heavy had crashed against the floor. "Hinata!" A distressed Kiba hurriedly rushed to the pale girl's aid.

"Surely you're kidding right?" Ino spoke up from her seat. "You didn't hit your head or anything did you? I mean this is Naruto we're talking about," she snorted.

"Yes, what about him?" The oni's eyes narrowed at the platinum blonde. It wasn't until now that both girls realized just how serious she was.

"Wait...you actually mean it. But...it's Naruto!" Sakura gestured to the aforementioned blonde, who was doing his best to nullify is own existence behind Zero Two and failing miserably. He had hoped to avoid a confrontation if possible, especially with those two of all people.

"Precisely why he's my Darling," Zero Two responded. "What's it matter to you anyway?" She leveled a glare at the younger girl, who was beginning to work on her last nerve.

Sakura, with her ego suddenly deflated, found herself stumbling over her words. "W-Well...I-I-I-"

"Need to mind your own business. What I do with my Darling is ours." Zero Two stood up, rising to her full height. She only had a good five centimeters over the younger girl, but to Sakura it felt like she was standing before a colossus. Zero Two leaned in close, invading the pinkette's personal space and locked gazes with the now trembling girl.

"Hmm.." Zero Two hummed to herself as she inspected her prey. In one quick, fluid motion, her tongue slithered across Sakura's cheek, making the girl recoil in antipathy.

"EH?!" A horrified Sakura swiftly retreated and a hand shot up to her face, shielding the patch of skin where she'd been licked as she stared at the older girl incredulously.

"EEEHH?!" The entire class echoed, matching their representative's expression. Even Naruto himself was no exception.

A smirk crossed the rosette's features as she pulled away and returned to her makeshift seat that was Naruto's lap. "You know, for someone so bitter you have a sweet taste."

The door to the classroom slid open and their teacher emerged from the hallway. "Alright everyone settl-" Iruka's words were cut short when he noticed his class was quiet. A little too quiet actually. Even Naruto, the usual culprit, was silent. "Er...never mind. Everyone please return to your seats..." He observed his students carefully, ignoring their groans as they slowly muddled about towards their assigned seats. Sakura eyed Zero Two warily as she shuffled past the couple and took her seat between Naruto and Sasuke.

"Ah!" Iruka spoke up once more as his eyes fell on their desk. "You must be Zero Two. I was just briefed by Hokage-sama. It's a pleasure to have you with us today." The rosette was too busy tangling her fingers in her darling's unkempt locks and only gave a slight nod of acknowledgement.

"As for you Naruto, I believe you're going to be needing this." The scarred Chūnin reached into his pocket and withdrew a long black cloth was was folded many times over. With practice precision, he tossed it across the room where it fell into the boy's hand with a metallic clink. Naruto's eyes widened when he realized what it was.

"I-Iruka-sensei...does this mean...?"

His answer came in the form of a bright smile. "You can't very well call yourself a ninja without a headband can you?"

A goofy grin split the blond's face as his eyes lit up with glee. "ALRIGHT!" Naruto exclaimed with a fist pump. He had finally done it; he was officially a ninja now. And one step closer to realizing his dream.

"I'm so proud of you Darling~!" Zero Two's saccharine voice filled the air. She hugged him tightly once more and affectionately rubbed her cheek against Naruto's own, much to his embarrassment.

"Z-Zero Two! Everyone is staring!"

"All the more reason to let me love you~!"

Snickers began to fill the room as everyone observed the display of affection in amusement. Even Iruka himself had to stifle a laugh. After watching the duo, he now understood what the Hokage meant.

"Alright, Alright everyone settle down," he waved his hands, bringing order to the class once more. "As of today, you have all become full-fledged ninjas. However, you're still genin. The tough part has yet to come." Iruka pulled out a sheet of paper from his pouch and held out before him. "From here on, you will all be placed in squads of three and carry out mission under your appointed Jōnin teachers." His words elicited various responses from his students.

"Hmm...I wonder who will be teamed up with Sasuke-kun?" Ino thought aloud from her seat behind Sakura.

The class rep only gave a small shrug in response. "Your guess is as good as mine." But despite her lackadaisical tone, an inferno swelled to life within the pinkette. _'Cha! Naturally, I'll be the one on Sasuke-kun's team!'_

Sasuke's eyes narrowed marginally. _'Teams of three huh? Tch...that'll just slow me down...'_

 _'Teams huh?'_ Naruto pondered to himself. He never really considered the possibility that they would be placed in teams. If he were to be honest with himself, he didn't know what to expect after becoming a ninja. All he had ever cared about was becoming Hokage. Sparing a chance at Zero Two, he couldn't stop himself from smiling. _'Would be pretty cool if we got put on the same team. But she's an ANBU after all. Though I have a sneaking suspicion it wouldn't matter to her either way.'_ In the end, he decided he would be fine with what ever team he was placed on, just as long as he wasn't paired with Sasuke or Sakura. Naruto was so lost in thought that he completely missed the first half of the team assignment.

"And now for the special exception, Team 7." Iruka announced, garnering the blonde's attention once more. Hokage-sama wanted to experiment with how a 5 man cell would work out so there will be 4 of you under one Jōnin. This team will consist of Naruto Uzumaki, Sakura Haruno, Sasuke Uchiha, and Zero Two." An annoyed huff escaped the forlorn Uchiha, Zero Two was grinning widely, while both Naruto and Sakura had dumbfounded expressions.

"What's he meaning of this Iruka-sensei?" Sakura stood up suddenly. "She's not even in our class!"

"Hokage-sama's orders. Your Jōnin teacher, Kakashi Hatake, will explain further," the scared Chūnin said dismissively. "Speaking of which, Naruto and Zero Two, Hokage-sama would like to speak with the both of you."

Naruto just stared ahead with a blank expression. He was still in shock. He had actually been assigned to a team with Zero Two. _'So this is what the Old Man was planning...'_ he thought to himself. He didn't know what the elderly Hokage was up to, but there had to be a method to his madness.

Zero Two bounced to her feet and stretched out her body. She noticed Sakura leveling an abhorrent glare in her direction and offered an exultant smirk in response. "Come Darling~! Let's see what the old geezer wants." A collective gasp reverberated throughout the room at the blatant disrespect towards their village leader.

"R-Right..." Naruto answered lamely. He rose from his seat and his hand was immediately seized by his exuberant girlfriend. Before he could protest, Zero Two made a beeline out of the room with Naruto flailing helplessly in the wind behind her. The mass of eyes crowding the room could only stare in bewilderment at the couple.

"Moving on..." Iruka began again as he shook his head amusedly. "Team Eight will consist of..."


	5. 005

_**005**_

* * *

"Er...Hokage-sama..."

Hiruzen's ears perked up as the small intercom on his desk crackled to life and his secretary's voice filled the room. "You have visitors."

"Ah yes, Thank you Naomi-chan. I've been expecting those two. Send them right up," he replied. Setting down his pipe, Hiruzen took the disheveled stacks of paperwork cluttering his desk and gathered them into on neat pile before placing it in one of the many drawers lining his desk. With a heavy sigh, the God of Shinobi collected his thoughts. This had been a day he'd been reluctantly waiting for this day to come, all the while dreading it at the same time. _'I just hope they come to understand it was for the best...'_

Just then the door to his office exploded open, barely remaining attached to its hinges. Zero Two waltzed into the room, humming a soft tune. Trailing just after her was an exasperated Naruto.

"Zero Two that's cheating!" He pointed an accusatory glare at her.

"All is fair in love and war Darling~!" The rosette sang.

"Oh?" Hiruzen commented nonchalantly as he relit his pipe. "It's not often someone gets the better of Naruto."

"What?!" The aforementioned blond blanched, barging his was into the room. "She was the one that wanted to race here in the first place and she pulled my tail when I got ahead!"

"I just couldn't help myself Darling," Zero Two latched onto Naruto's arm and stared at him with big, puppy dog-like eyes. "It was just fluffy~!"

 _'Damn...even she knows it!'_ Naruto cursed as his found himself lost in his girlfriend's eyes. He, along with rest of the boys in his class, were convinced that the dreaded _"Puppy Eyes"_ was a secret genjutsu taught to girls at a young age. It was more than just a simple expression because none of the males could recreate it, and Kiba practically half dog himself.

"I'm glad to see you two are getting along," Hiruzen chuckled mirthfully before taking a drag on his pipe. It would seem he'd been worried for nothing over their meeting, as Zero Two had already charmed the young lad. He was taken aback when Naruto suddenly approached his desk and bowed deeply.

"I'm sorry I stole the scroll Gramps," he apologized sincerely. "I was...just so excited at the thought of finally becoming a ninja that I...I..."

"It's quite alright Naruto. You were unfortunately used in the schemes of someone that had been placed in a position of trust. I can not fault you for that," Hiruzen waver his hand. But it didn't stop a crestfallen expression from shadowing the boy's features.

"But I-"

"Did a marvelous job at stopping Mizuki. Even in the face of adversity, you did not falter and protected an invaluable asset to the village." Hiruzen shakily rose to his feet and stepped from behind his desk, slowly approaching the blond. He placed a withered hand on Naruto's shoulder, causing the boy to look up to meet his gaze. "You've come so far Naruto and I couldn't be any prouder." As much as he tried, Naruto couldn't suppress a small smile at the elderly Hokage's words. He stumbled forward slightly but managed to catch himself. Turning to his side he saw Zero Two hooked on to his arm.

"I helped too ya know..." she pouted shabbily.

"That you did Zero Two. I'm proud of the both of you," Hiruzen smirked as he ruffled her hair, much to the girl's annoyance. "I may have been wrong about you Zero Two. Unlike the others, Naruto isn't showing any adverse side effects." The others had developed symptoms almost immediately, but hours had passed by now and the boy seemed to be perfectly fine.

"I already told you geezer, Darling is the only one fit to be my partner. I would _never_ hurt him," Zero Two grumbled.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Naruto interrupted. " _Side effects?!_ " He watched the Hokage sigh deeply as he slowly returned to his chair.

He reached into his desk and pulled out a small silver canister that bore the symbol of the Hidden Stone Village. Lasting grudges aside, even he couldn't dispute that the Land of Earth had the highest quality of tobacco in all of the Elemental Nations. He also happened to know that the Tsuchikage had a guilty pleasure for rice wine. More particularly a specific flavor brewed in the southeastern coast of the Land of Fire, far from the western border they shared with Earth. He had an...arrangement with the crotchety Fence-Sitter, one that had proved mutually beneficial for the last 18 odd years. "Where to begin..." Hiruzen mumbled. The small can cracked open with a small 'pop' and he began meticulously loading his pipe with the preserved shag inside. "We'll need some privacy first."

Hiruzen clapped his hands together, causing mysterious black symbols to appear on the wall. They began to glow with chakra and coiled around the room. "Now then..." Hiruzen spoke again a she lit his pipe. "Naruto my boy, you will have no recollection of these events. And that's because I had your memory erased."

"W-What...?" The blond could only stare at the Hokage as if he'd grown a second head. He was honestly quite surprised. He didn't think the Hiruzen had it in him to pull a prank. This must've been payback from the time he painted a giant nosebleed on the old man's face on the Hokage Monument after he found his secret stash of Icha Icha books. "Very funny Gramps, for a second there I almost beli-"

"I'm being completely serious."

Naruto flinched at the words. The Hokage's face was calm, yet stiff and his tone was grim. Sparing a glance at Zero Two, he noticed she was gnawing away at one of her thumbnails. Her eyes were hidden away behind a curtain of pink, refusing to meet his gaze. He could feel her hand quivering as it tightened around his own.

"Oi...this isn't funny Gramps...what do you mean you erased my memories?"

"I mean just that. Tell me Naruto, have you heard of a Klaxosaur?" Hiruzen queried.

Naruto's eyes narrowed marginally at the question. He vaguely remembered hearing that name before. Iruka had covered them briefly during a study on mythology. These "Screaming Lizards" supposedly consumed chakra and terrorized the land centuries ago. They're mentioned frequently in old literature, yet there has never been any physical evidence found to prove they existed. But he didn't understand what that had to do with the situation. "You're avoiding my question Gramps," Naruto replied frostily. "What does a fairy-tale Monster have to do with you erasing my memories?" He glared.

"Everything," Hiruzen spoke evenly, unfazed by the boy's ire. "When you were 5 Naruto, you suddenly ran away from the village."

"I...ran away?"

"Yes, and even at such a young age you were very crafty. It took the team of ANBU I sent after you a whole month to track you down." Hiruzen chuckled as he took another drag on his pipe. "When they found you and Zero Two, who absolutely refused to leave your side, you all were attacked by a Klaxosaur. You ended up using the Nine Tails' power to defeat it, but the toll was so great on your body that you were left unconscious for nearly two weeks." Hiruzen discarded the ashes from his pipe into a small tray and continued on, not missing a beat. "You were still too young to know about the Nine-Tails Naruto...I didn't want you being exposed to that. Not at such an early age. So I-"

"Just when exactly did you plan to tell me then?" Naruto spat. His eyes flashed red and Hiruzen flinched at the malice in his voice. "Everyone was in on this little secret except me. You even went out of your way to create a law forbidding people to talk about it. If it weren't for Mizuki-teme I wouldn't have found out the truth! How long...how long did you plan to keep lying to me Gramps..?"

The Hokage's heart sank when he saw the downcast expression marring the young jinchuriki's features. He looked tired and defeated. "Naruto that was not my intention. I was trying to give you the most normal life possible-"

"Normal?!" Naruto chortled. "Exactly what part of my life is normal?! I don't have a family to go home to at the end of the day. Everyone in the village treats me like a plague. No one cares about me! And now you're telling me I managed to find someone who did and you erased my memories of her!"

"I understand your frustrations Naruto. And you're right, I've let you down. There's nothing I could do to ever make amends for that." Hiruzen admitted solemnly as he discarded the ashes from his pipe once more. Sparring a glance at Zero Two, he was rather surprised at how docile she was being. She simply elected to hold on to Naruto, supporting the fervid blond. Then again, this was a conversation he'd had with her many a times over the years. "But I don't regret erasing your memories or keeping the both of you apart. In hindsight, it was in the best interest of you both."

"And what the hell is that supposed to mean old man?!" Naruto snarled.

Hiruzen remains unfazed by the boy's ire as he packed more tobacco into his pipe. "You see Naruto, Zero Two isn't a normal human. She has Klaxosaur blood running in her veins. These creatures are violently destructive and they feed on chakra. Back then I separated you two for your own safety, and hers as well."

"So what? She's different like me so you isolated her as well?"

"You misunderstand me my boy. Yes, I initially thought Zero Two would be a danger to you. The first time she ever escaped, she forcefully drained a chunin of all his chakra in a matter of seconds and went on a rampage," Hiruzen spoke, shocking Naruto. He glanced down at the girl attached to his side, who turned away from his gaze in an effort to hide her embarrassment.

"They found her in your hospital room, desperately trying to wake you up. But you would not budge. She would've burned the entire hospital down when they attempted to remove her had I not stepped in. I was only then that understood the bond you two had forged. But but by then, it was already too late. Inoichi had already purged the memories from your mind." Hiruzen hung his head in shame.

"But that was for the best. Zero Two had absolutely no control over her bloodline then. Even a simple touch was enough to siphon a substantial amount of chakra. I had no reservations about reuniting you both, but only after she had learned to properly control her bloodline. What good would it have done if she ended up killing you? She would've most likely destroyed herself in grief as well."

Naruto gritted his teeth as he listened on. As much as he hated to admit it, the fossil of a ninja had sound reasoning. But that didn't mean he had to like it. "I...I won't forgive you for this Gramps. Not ever..." Naruto ground out. He stared down at the floor, refusing to meet the elder's gaze as his fists clenched tightly. He was desperately trying to fight back the tears threatening to spill over but failing miserably, which only added to to his frustration. White suddenly obscured his already blurring vision and he felt a gentle pat on his head.

"I wouldn't expect you to Naruto. As Hokage, you have to put the well being of the village first, which can sometimes force one to take...regrettable actions," Hiruzen replied softly. "That's why all I can do now is assign you both to the same team. Zero Two has more than proven herself and I realized that I should have more faith in you two," he admitted. "And I've honestly been wanting to see how changing to a five man cell would affect team dynamics. I'm hoping it will improves mission success rates and lower casualties. So Team Seven will be an experimentation squad of sorts. I'm counting on you all."

Naruto stiffly shrugged away from his touch and quickly wiped away the moisture pooling around his eyes. "Erasing memories...tearing people apart..." his voice was broken and weak. "If that's what it means to be Hokage...then I don't want the job anymore..."

Hiruzen could only frown. Naruto was the most upbeat and jovial soul around. He hated seeing the lad look so defeated. "Naruto I-"

"Come on Zero Two," the blonde spoke suddenly. He turned away from the elderly Hokage in one sharp motion, pulling his companion along and eliciting a soft yip from the girl. "I'm sure our new sensei is waiting for us."

"R-Right..." Zero Two was quick to regain her composure and fell in step alongside her beloved.

A tired sigh escaped the aging Hokage as he watched the teens depart just as swiftly as they arrived. His hands slowly made their way to his backside, trying to message out the numerous knots. Today was just not his day. Firstly, his back was killing him and no amount of medication or practical medical ninjutsu seemed to be helping. And secondly, he didn't get very much sleep last night, which put even more strain on his already worn out body. He was no spring chicken after all and decades of Shinobi work had left his body beaten and brittle.

 _'Minato...Kushina...forgive me. You entrusted your son to me and I failed him. I sincerely hope Zero Two can fill the void left in his heart...'_

* * *

The soft pitter-patter of footsteps reverberated off the hallways of the academy as an awkward silence permeated the air. Zero Two found her being led away from the Hokage's office. She fell in step behind Naruto, who had been silent ever since they left. His hand was clammy and moist with sweat. His shoulders sagged yet, held an agitated stiffness to them. It made her head sink to see him in such a state. She didn't know how he would react to the geezer's words, but he was clearly upset. Part of her was glad that he felt the same way she did but if she were being honest with herself, the old man had a point. She wouldn't have been able to live with herself had she accidentally killed her darling with her bloodline.

"Darling..."

"What."

His tone had a sharp bite to it, clearly reflecting his ire. She hated seeing him like this. It was nothing like the gentle and kind-hearted boy that had she'd fallen in love with all those years ago. Planting a foot, Zero Two came to a sudden stop, jerking Naruto to a standstill as well. Confused, the blond turned around only to be wrapped in a gentle embrace.

"I missed you ya know," Zero Two said softly, resting her chin on his slumped shoulder. Naruto was caught off guard by the sudden display of affection. Before a response could even form in his mind, she spoke again. "Quite a lot actually. I hated the old man for what he did to you and keeping us apart. In fact, I hated just about everyone and everything about this village," she giggled.

"But this was your home. And I wanted nothing more than to be at your side. And the geezer is far too trusting for his own good. I was rather...difficult growing up," The rosette admitted, a faint blush coloring her cheeks. "I was an outsider, and not even a human one at that. I used to lash out, and nearly killed my caretaker once. But the geezer let me stay regardless."

After listening to him speak minutes before, she found herself thinking that all this time, he had managed to see past her facade. Unlike Naruto, who masked his pain behind a cheerful personality and bright smile, she obscured hers with a cloak of petulance. She was prone to violent outbursts and it didn't take much so set her off. The ever growing frustration of being kept apart from her dearly beloved chipped away at her everyday. All she had to do was learn how to control her bloodline. But it seemed no matter how hard she trained, even driving herself to the point of absolute exhaustion, her proficiency remained stagnant. It was a grim symbiosis, constantly feeding one another and driving her further into the depths of despair. Zero Two retreated slightly and locked onto the pair of cerulean orbs focusing intently on her.

"Through it all, you were my pillar Naruto. Even at such a young age, with the world bearing down on your shoulders, you put on a big smile and tackled life head on without wavering in the slightest. You're the bravest person I know and I wanted nothing more than to be like you. So I persevered, growing stronger with each step I took and more determined with each breath I drew. Even if it was just a chance meeting, words alone can't express how much meeting you changed the course of my life Darling."

Naruto silently stared at the girl, observing her every motion. Her eyes were soft, completely void of their usual impish luster. Her smile, one that seemed to only be reserved for him alone, was tender and radiated a loving warmth that resonated with her words. To be quite honest, he was rather taken aback. He knew that she loved him dearly, but he never expected her to think so highly of him.

True, back in his younger days he felt like he was unstoppable. Even if he was all alone with no one else in the world, he wasn't going to let that dissuade him from accomplishing his dreams. But one can only put on an act of bravado for so long. The facade itself was easy enough to maintain. All he had to do was smile and put on an asinine display like everyone expected of him. But it was draining, mentally more so than physically. And what made matters worse was that he had not formal training beyond that of what was taught at the academy. Unlike him, many of his classmates extra training outside the regular curriculum and excelled in a variety of subjects. At best, he had taijutsu going for him. He was a bit of a brawler and his moves, while unrefined, were quite effective. His chakra control was abysmal, which left both ninjutsu and genjutsu off the table and his shurikenjutsu was...acceptable. With such an underwhelming skillset, it became slowly evident to even him that aspiring to be Hokage was nothing more than wishful thinking. Contrary to the perennial saying phrasing, all men were _not_ created equal.

"I...I wish," Naruto began hesitantly, trying to find his words. "I wish I could say the say the same Zero Two. But I don't remember anything. You...the time we spent together...none of it. Gramps...he took that from me!" He ground out frustratedly.

"That he did. But what's done is done. We have each other now that all that matters." Zero Two reassured him.

"Yeah but-"

The blond was cut off by a sharp flick to the forehead, causing him to wobble back in pain. "Ow! What was that for?!"

His irritation quickly subsided when noticed the look his girlfriend was giving him. She was standing before him indignantly with her hands on her hips, bearing down on him with a ferocious glare. "Would you stop being so mopey already!" She barked, making the boy flinch.

"There no point dwelling on the past," she said in a more gentle tone. "All we can do is make up for lost time. I know you're upset Darling, and you have every right to be. But I don't want to focus on the negatives. We have our whole lives ahead of us to make new memories. So cheer up already. Or so help me god, I will burn your entire stash of ramen!"

"You wouldn't!" Naruto gasped, taking a step back in horror. Anything but the ramen!

"Try me."

"Alright, alright geez!" He shot forward, enveloping her in a hug. "There's no need to drag innocent ramen into this ya know. And here I thought you loved me."

Zero Two smirked victoriously as she settled into his embrace. "All's fair in love and war Darling~!"

"Yeah, Yeah," Naruto grumbled. He had to admit, her words did wonders for his mood. She had a point after all. Resenting the old man wouldn't return his lost memories, nor would moping about it. But that didn't mean he would forgive him anytime soon. And despite his shortcomings, he had still managed to become a ninja. "You're troublesome you know that?" He said, quoting his notoriously lazy classmate.

"Yep~!" Zero Two giggled.

A smile found its face to Naruto face. Even if he didn't remember her, in just the short time after they had reunited Zero Two was quickly growing on him. If he was her pillar of strength, then she was his light in the darkness. He still couldn't claim to know what love was, but he was definitely willing to discover it with her.

"Neh...did you really almost burn down the hospital when you came to see me?"

Zero Two's haughty confidence immediately shattered and he face flushed the same shade as her hair. "O-Of course! They tried to keep me away from you ya know..."

"Ha! Talk about hotheaded," Naruto couldn't help but chuckled. His amusement earned him a swat on the arm.

"Dahliiing!" The rosette whined. "I-It's not funny!"

She was silenced when the blond shot forward, overtaking her lips with his own. Zero Two was stunned by his sudden forwardness, but happily welcomed the chaste kiss. Naruto released the rosette, much to her disapproval, and rested his forehead on hers. "Thanks Zero Two...for cheering me up. I feel much better now."

"Now _there's_ my Darling," she grinned in response. Taking hold of his hand, she stepped past Naruto and began leading him back towards his classroom. "Now come, we still have to meet the Scarecrow."

"Scarecrow?" Naruto's eyebrow rose in confusion. Her mood was noticeably less enthusiastic than before.

"You'll see..."

* * *

Sakura sighed wistfully as her head slumped onto the desk. They had been instructed to wait in the classroom until their newly appointed Jonin teachers came to fetch them. By now, all of the other teams had been collected, leaving just Team Seven. Though, she couldn't complain really considering she was all alone with the object of her affections. Casting a sidelong glance at brooding teen, she couldn't help but admire him. He was clad mostly in black, donning a tank top, long pants, and standard shinobi sandals. Over it he wore a high-collared, grayish blue button down shirt that he opted to leave open. Sewn onto the back of it was the symbol of his clan.

With that pig Ino and the rest of the girls gone, she'd been hoping to win over the last Uchiha with her womanly charms. But alas, she shot down again. _'Well at least I get to be on the same team as him, which is much more than the others can say. It's only a matter of time before Sasuke-kun falls in love with me!'_ the pinkette swooned in her head. _'If only that loser Naruto wasn't on our team as well everything would be perfect.'_ As if on cue, the door too the classroom slid open, and the aforementioned blond waltz into the room, followed by Zero Two.

"Huh? Looks like everyone's already gone," Naruto said as he looked around the room.

"Good! We can finally have some much needed alone time~!" Zero Two sang as she jumped onto his back.

"O-Oi!" the blond called out as he stumbled forward before catching himself. Sakura's mood immediately soured and her face distorted into an irascible glower. She let out an unladylike snort, alerting the couple to her presence.

"Oh right, the rest of our team. Prince Angst and the bitchy one," Zero Two smirked. Sasuke showed no outward reaction, while Sakura's nostril's flared up in anger.

"What's your deal?!" she snapped. "Why do I have to be teamed up with someone like you?!"

"I don't know what goes through the geezer's head," the rosette shrugged. "All that matters to me is staying with my Darling," she smiled as she affectionately rubbed her cheek against Naruto's, much to the boy's chagrin.

"C-Cut it out Zero Two!"

"Let me love yooou!"

Sakura felt her stomach turning flips as she watched the couple. But just as she was about to voice her irritation, the door slid open once more, drawing the teens' attention. Out of the hallway emerged a man in his late twenties. He was dressed standard Hidden Leaf infantry clothing, consisting of dark blue pants and a long-sleeve shirt that was covered by a forest green flak jacket. He also wore fingerless gloves with metal plates on the backside. He had spiky, somewhat gravity-defying silver hair that oriented towards his left side. But most notable of all was the black mask that covered up the entire lower half of his face. Even his headband was shifted down slightly, shrouding his left eye. In his hand he held a bright orange book that had the words "Icha Icha Paradise" printed on the front cover. Looking up from his book, he scanned the room with a relaxed, heavy-lidded expression. When he caught sight of Naruto and Zero Two, his lone eye widened ever so slightly. _'Oh?'_

"Is that...the scarecrow...?" Naruto whispered over his shoulder.

"Yeah," came Zero Two's clipped response. She was staring intently at the man, almost as if she we're trying to burn a whole through him with her eyes alone.

"I see what you mean now..."

Sakura rose up from her seat, a look of exasperation etched onto her face. "Are you our new Sensei?" she queried.

"I am," the man answered simply.

"You're late!" She pointed an accusatory finger at him.

"I am," he repeated, further annoying the pinkette.

"Hm...how can I say this. As far as first impressions go..." The man pondered as he stashed the book away inside his pouch. "I hate all of you."

All four teens faulted at the tasteless remark. But before any of them could voice an opinion, he spoke again. "Alright then, let's get this over with. I want you guys to meet me on the roof. You have two minutes," As soon as he finished speaking, the man exploded in a cloud of smoke.

"Onward Darling! After him!" Zero Two exclaimed.

"Oi! I am _not_ a horse ya know!"

"You're my noble steed. And he's getting awaaay!" the rosette whined as she vehemently shook his shoulders, urging her boyfriend to move.

"Zero Two stop it, you're gonna me dr-"

"Dahliiing!" She began playfully swatting at his head.

"Alright, alright just stop hitting me!" Naruto relented as he ran out the door.

"Tally Ho!" Zero Two squealed in delight.

Sakura's eye twitched as she watched them depart. _'You know what, I'm not even going to bother. who's care about them anyway?'_ Her inner self huffed. As long as she had her Sasuke-kun, nothing else mattered. "Neh, Sasuke-kun! Do you wanna walk...with...me..." She turned around only find that the Uchiha had disappeared. The pinkette stomped her feat heatedly as her face broke into a pout.

"Ugh! Could this day get any worse?!" She griped before storming out of the room.


	6. 006

_**006**_

* * *

Sakura kicked open the roof access door with an annoyed grunt and stepped out. She was blinded by the sun and was forced to shield her eyes with her hand as they adjusted to the sudden change in lighting. Four figures slowly came into view on the opposite side of the roof. Sasuke was leaning against the railing with his arms folded across his chest, the ever present scowl still etched onto his face. Zero Two was sitting on the railing a bit away from the Uchiha with Naruto standing between her legs. Her arms were draped over his shoulders and her chin was planted atop his head. The masked man was standing in front of them with his face buried in that orange book of his.

"Eh..." Zero Two drawled lazily. "About time you showed up Pinky."

"Hmph!" Sakura snorted. "Can we just get this over with already? I don't want to be here any longer than I have to."

"On that I couldn't agree more," Zero Two groaned as she combed through Naruto's unkempt hair with her fingers.

"Well I suppose it would be best to start with introductions," the man said, snapping his book shut. "We'll keep it simple. Names, likes, dislikes, and dreams for the future, etcetera."

"Well you're supposed to be our new team leader right? Lead by example then," Naruto spoke up.

The man scratched his chin, mulling over the idea. "I guess that's only fair. Let's see...my name is Hatake Kakashi. I have many likes. And even more dislikes. As for my goals...I don't really feel like telling you," he shrugged.

"So in the end all we learned was your name..." Naruto dead panned.

"That's more than enough as far as I'm concerned. And since you're so eager to speak, your turn blondie," Kakashi retorted.

"The name's Uzumaki Naruto. I like ramen, training, and er..." the blond's face suddenly flushed a she began to stumble over his words. "And uh...Z-Zero Two." He uncharacteristically stammered. He couldn't see her face but he could feel the rosette grinning madly behind him. Naruto folded his arms across his chest, trying to hide his embarrassment with a mask of indifference before continuing on. "A-Anyway, I hate vegetables, the three minutes it takes to cook instant ramen, and people that look down on others. As for my dream..." he paused once more. "I guess I don't really have one anymore..."

Kakashi watched as the light on his eyes dimmed and a crestfallen expression beset his features. _'Anymore...?'_ He pondered. In response, Zero Two wrapped her arms around Naruto's neck in a loving embrace and kissed the top of his head. He stared at her expectantly and she seemed to understand the unspoken question.

"I already introduced myself earlier. Not like it matters anyway. They won't last long out there," Zero Two said dismissively. This elicited a scoff from the taciturn Uchiha, making the rosette smirk.

 _'She certainly hasn't changed...'_ Kakashi sighed before turning to Sakura. "Alright your turn Pinky."

"My name is not Pinky, it's Haruno Sakura!" The girl huffed. "As for my likes, I uh-" she froze, stealing a glance a Sasuke. Her entire face flared up like high level fire jutsu. "Well I mean my dream is to-" Another glance at the stoic teen was enough to send the girl over the edge and fried her brain.

Kakashi shook his head in disappointment when he saw her befuddled, love-stricken face. _'Typical...girls her age are more focused on love rather than Ninja Arts,'_ he sighed internally. "And your dislikes?"

"Naruto!" She answered immediately.

"Me?" The aforementioned blond's eyebrow rose in confusion. "What did I ever do to you?"

"You're very presence annoys the hell out of me!" Sakura snorted. "Hers too!" She glared at Zero Two, who remained unfazed.

"Pay her no mind Darling. She's just jealous," Zero Two patted Naruto's head reassuringly.

"And why would I be jealous of you?" Sakura heaved.

"I have a boyfriend and you don't."

For the second time that day, Sakura found herself speechless and unable to counter the older girl's words.

"Alright, Alright," Kakashi interjected. He didn't care to hear their petty teenage squabbles. "We still have to hear from resident Bishōnen."

A spiteful glare flashed through the raven haired boy's eyes as he clicked his teeth. "Tch...Uchiha Sasuke. I have many dislikes, and nothing in particular that I like," he spoke for the first time that day. "And dreams are for children. What I have is an ambition. One to restore my clan and track down the person responsible for _that_ night, and kill them."

 _'As I thought...'_ Kakashi speculated.

The story of the Uchiha massacre eight years ago was well known throughout the village. Someone had managed to infiltrate not just the village, but the well-guarded Uchiha compound as well and slaughtered every member of the isolated faction. Sasuke's older brother Itachi, the person he looked up to the most, sacrificed himself to save his younger sibling, making the boy the sole remaining survivor of his clan.

"Holy shit...it talks?!" Zero Two blinked, genuinely surprise. This earned her a hearty laugh from Naruto.

"Be nice Zero Two," he playfully chastised "Sasuke isn't _that_ stuck up."

"I'm serious! I figured he was a mute or something since all he did was grunt!" She gestured frantically at the last Uchiha. Sasuke merely rolled his eyes, ignoring the couple as he returned to his previous task of gazing out into the village.

"Quite the colorful bunch I see." Kakashi spoke up. "As you guys know, we're all a team now. That means we'll be taking on missions and the like together. In fact, we have one tomorrow."

"Tomorrow? That sure was fast," Naruto commented.

"Well I can tell you now it's not the kind of mission you're all expecting," The scarecrow-nin responded.

"Well...what kind of mission is it then?" Sakura queried.

"A survival exercise," was her sensei's shrugged response.

"Exercise? We did plenty of those in the academy already," Naruto groaned. "What's so special about this one that makes it a mission?" He felt a chill race up his spine when the older man started giggling. For some reason it made him just as uneasy as Zero Two when she did it, if not more so.

"Neh, what's so funny Sensei...?" Sakura watched the ashen-haired man suspiciously. Even she found his childlike sniggering off putting.

"Oh...well I don't want to say, on the account that it'll just dishearten you all," Kakashi said as he began to settle down.

"Spit it or already you dusty scarecrow," Zero Two all but growled. Kakashi's mirthful aura dispersed as his eyes fell on the aggravated teen. _'So much for letting bygones be bygones...'_

"Well then since you're all so eager I'll just come right out with it. Out of the 27 graduating students, only 9 will be officially selected to become genin. The other 18 will return to the academy. This mission you're about to partake in has a 66% failure rate. And I alone decide whether or not you pass or fail," he stated in a plain, almost bored tone. Beneath the mask, Kakashi's lips curled ever so slightly into a grin upon seeing the despair settle in their eyes.

"The fuck?!" Naruto blanched "What the hell was the point of those graduation exams then?!" For once Sakura had to agree with the blond, namely because he beat her to the punch in voicing everyone's collective frustrations.

"Oh those? That was just to see who had the potential to become genin. Tomorrow's exercise is the real test," the masked man said dismissively. "Now then. We shall meet tomorrow morning at 0500, training ground three. You're all dismissed." Kakashi waved them off. "Oh, and I'd skip breakfast if I were you. You'll just throw up anyway." With that final grim warning, he burst into a cloud of smoke.

"Tch...shady bastard," Zero Two moaned spitefully.

"What a waste of time," Sasuke muttered before flashing away. Sakura balked as a pout set on her features. She never got the chance to ask him for a date again. Noticing she was left alone with the two lovebirds, she scoffed at them before turning away. The couple paid her no mind as she swiftly departed the same she had arrived.

"Er...you sound like you've met Kakashi-sensei before Zero Two," Naruto tilted his head up to look at the rosette.

"A story for another time Darling," she grumbled, shaking her head clear. "Neh, it's almost lunchtime. Take me on a date."

Naruto spun around to face the rosette. He had to make sure he heard right. "Huh?"

"Take me on a date," Zero Two pouted as she crossed her arms. Yep, he heard her right.

"You mean right now?"

"Yeeess," she whined. "We have lots of lost time to make up for!" It was at that moment a figure flashed into existence next to Zero Two.

"I beg to differ."

The girl's eyes widened in horror but before she could react, she was forcefully swatted on the top of her head. "Ow!" Naruto blinked in surprise at his reeling girlfriend before turning to her assailant. It was the same ANBU with the cat mask that was there the day he first met Zero Two. In her hand, she held a rolled up newspaper that was reinforced with a thin layer of chakra.

"What'd you hit me for?! I didn't do anything!" Zero Two barked, rubbing the now tender spot on her head as she glowered at the woman.

The ANBU removed her mask, returning the younger girl's glare with equal fervor. "First of all, you're about a hundred years too early to be raising your voice at me," she said dangerously. "You didn't report in after your shift last night, let alone come home. Not to mention you didn't clean up the house like I told you to so it's a complete mess. And you forgot to feed Chiko!" the woman snapped, swatting the rosette again for good measure.

"Ow!" Zero Two cried out once more, only this time she hopped off the railing to distance herself from the clearly miffed woman. "I didn't forget, that little punk can manage just fine on his own!" She grumbled. "And I didn't come home because I spent the night with my Darling." The woman's head slowly craned until towards her new target and Naruto found himself frozen in fear. Her face was calm, cool, and collected. But there was a fire that raged in her eyes, one that promised untold amounts of pain.

"N-Nothing happened I swear!" He quickly interjected, frantically waving his hands in front of him defensively. Her eyes narrowed threateningly, scrutinizing over the blond before shifting focus back to Zero Two.

"You! Home. Chores. Now!"

"Okay _Mom_ ," The rosette rolled her eyes, clearly annoyed.

"Don't get snippy with me young lady!"

"Wait..Mom?" Naruto blurted out.

The woman's attention returned to the boy. "Pay her no mind, she's just being facetious. But we have yet to be properly introduced Uzumaki-kun. I am Uzuki Yugao, Zero Two's caretaker."

"More like jailer..." the girl grumbled.

"You know what-"

"Ah! Protect mean from the mean old ANBU Darling!" Zero Two his behind Naruto, pushing him closer to Yugao.

"Eh?!" Naruto exclaimed. He looked over his shoulder to see his girlfriend grinning madly at him. She had that look in her eyes again. "What do you expect me to do?!"

"You supposed to be my knight in shining armor ya know!" Zero Two pouted.

"Don't drag me into this!"

"Dahliiing~!"

Yugao silently watched the teens go back and forth and smiled. They were like two peas in a pod. Zero Two was noticeably happier and Naruto looked more like his old self from when he was younger. He was a good influence on her and she was helping him break out of his shell more. They were honestly quite cute together. It reminded Yugao of herself and Hayate when they were younger. She tried to suppress a giggle from watching their antics but failed, catching the attention of both teens.

"Neh, what's so funny?" Zero Two eyed her suspiciously.

"Oh nothing," Yugao laughed, waving off the girl's concern. "I'm just happy for you guys, truly I am. I heard from the Hokage about your new team placement Zero Two, but you still have responsibilities at home to take care of. So could you please..." she pleaded.

" _Alriiiight_..." Zero Two rolled her eyes.

"Thank you," Yugao nodded before placing her mask back on. "I must return to my post. You kids have fun now. But not _too_ much fun," she said before flickering away. Naruto stared dumbfounded at the spot wear the purple-haired nin once stood. He picked up on the teasing inflection in her voice and he had a sneaking suspicion she was smirking beneath her mask. He was jolted back to reality by Zero Two excitedly tugging on his arm.

"Come on Darling, I'll show you my house!"

"R-Right..."

And with that, the two set off for the other side of the village.

* * *

After a twenty or so minute trek, the couple found themselves in the middle of the market district, the busiest area in the village. Naruto was rather uncomfortable being around so many people, on the account of how everyone looked down on him, but Zero Two was unfazed. She pushed her way through the mass of bodies, dragging Naruto along behind her and led him through a winding series of streets and alleyways. They eventually reached the village square where the bazaar had been set up. It was a weekly occurrence where locals from the smaller neighboring came to the Hidden Leaf with hopes of selling their wares. The expansive street was crowded with patrons and vendors alike. Zero Two pulled Naruto into yet another alleyway and led him up a narrow staircase where they came to a stop in front of a door.

Zero Two released his hand and began rummaging around in her pouch. "Er...don't mind the mess Darling. I'll have it cleaned up in no time," she said sheepishly as she pulled out a small key. The door unlocked with a soft click and the two stepped inside. Zero Two slipped off her sandals and disappeared down the short hallway in a pink blur. Naruto managed to kick off one of his own sandals before Zero Two returned just as fast as she left. Her face was flushed with traces of pink dusting her cheeks.

"I-I take it back. Just wait outside for a moment!" She proclaimed. Before he could respond, Naruto was shoved out the door by the flustered rosette and it slammed behind him. Naruto blinked and stared at the door for a few moments before breaking into a soft chuckle. It was always nice to see her embarrassed for a change. A devilish grin split his cheeks and he reached for the door handle. She had neglected to lock it. An almost evil chortle escaped the blonde as he slipped back inside.

Carefully taking off his other sandal, the blond silently stalked his way down the dark hallway. He reached the end and stepped into what appeared to be the living room. It modestly sized, with a couch resting in the center of the room situated between two short tables with lamp adorning each. Behind it there was dining table that sat in front of a large window overlooking the town square. To the right he spotted the kitchen, which was fairly small and a door that he assumed led to a bedroom. To his left there was a flatscreen television mounted on the wall in front of the couch and two more doors, one of which was wide open. _"Mess"_ was quite the understatement. There was a mountain of dishes in the kitchen sink and half empty bottles of what he guessed to be honey littering the counter. Clothing of all sorts was haphazardly strewn all over the place, as if a hurricane of fabric had swept through the living room. Were those a pair of panties hanging from one of the lamps?

A pink whirlwind flew out of the open door to his left and began racing around the room. Slowly but surely, the clothes started disappearing piece by piece and the area began to look more presentable. Naruto couldn't help but smile as he watched his girlfriend frantically do laps around the living room. "I think you missed a sock underneath the couch," he casually pointed out.

Zero Two's eyes widened and she came to a crashing halt. Her head slowly craned toward the hallway where she spotted Naruto. He was leaning against the entryway with his arms folded across his chest, grinning at her.

"D-D-Darling?!" she stammered. "What are you doing in here?!"

"I got bored waiting," Naruto shrugged. He pushed off the wall and stepped into the room. "And here I thought girls were supposed to be tidy."

"N-No it's not what you think!" Zero Two stammered as she tossed the load of clothes in her arms into a nearby basket. The last thing she wanted was him to see the unkempt state of their apartment. She'd been under a lot of stress for the last week and had admittedly neglected in her housekeeping duties. And Yugao's bothersome cat didn't make her life easier, which was exactly why she kept him locked away in her keeper's room whenever she was't home. "And I told you to wait outside!" She whined.

Naruto smiled before poking her on the forehead. "This'll go by a helluva lot faster if you had some help ya know." She swatted his hand away and glared at the smirking blonde. "Besides, I've been wanting to try this out all day." He put his index and middle fingers on both hands together and crossed them in a T shape. _**"Shadow Clone Jutsu!"**_

"Eh?!" Zero Two's eyes widened as six identical copies of her boyfriend popped into existence.

Naruto glanced around the room at his clones and smirked victoriously. IT was the only technique from the Scroll of Seals that he managed to memorize before he was interrupted. It had the same basic principles as a regular clone jutsu, only he could pump more chakra into these which was what made them corporeal. "Yosh! I'll consider this a great success!" Zero Two could only stare in bewilderment. She knew the technique herself, but it was too draining on chakra. The most she had ever created at once was two. Hell, even the old geezer could only maintain four at a time. The fact that Naruto just made six of then and he didn't even look winded spoke volumes of his chakra reserves. She licked her lips at the thought.

"Alright boys!" Naruto clapped his hands, alerting his doppelgangers. "Let's say we give Zero Two here a hand in cleaning up this place neh?"

"On it boss!" they collectively sounded off before spurring into action.

"Wow," Zero Two whistled. "I'm impressed. My clones don't even listen to me. You're really something else Darling."

"Heh, what can I say," Naruto grinned, rubbing a finger under his nose in an exalted display of arrogance. "Guess I'm just awesome ya know!"

A quick jab to the gut courtesy of Zero Two dispersed shattered the blond's contemptuous aura, bringing him back down to earth. "But you're still a greenhorn compared to me Darling."

Naruto steadied his breath before casting a sidelong glance at the rosette. "That sounds like a challenge ya know."

Zero Two rolled her neck, shrugging the stiffness out of her shoulders as a she took an imposing stance. Naruto suddenly shot forward towards her legs, only to catch a jab to the side of his head. He recovered quickly and rounded on Zero Two, feinting a punch to her side. She sidestepped only to realize her mistake and was tackled onto the couch. A light tingling sensation ran up her sides and the girl burst into laughter.

"Ah!" Zero Two squealed mirthfully as Naruto continued to assault her with tickles. He honestly hadn't expected her to be ticklish but right now Zero two was like putty in his hands. "Stop it Darling~!" She pleaded between fits of giggles. She was thrashing about madly in an effort to escape her boyfriend's clutches but he was surprisingly stronger than she'd anticipated. "I said _**stop!**_ "

Her fervent flailing finally paid off. One of her arms slipped out and in that brief moment her elbows found it's way to Naruto's face. "Ow!" Naruto hollered, his hands shooting to his face as he ceased his ministrations. "I think you broke my nose!"

Zero Two rolled over and sat up so that she was straddling the blond. Her face was tinted a deep shade of crimson and the muscles in her face were beginning to strain from laughing so hard. "Well I told you to stop!" she mewled before punching him in the arm. She snatched his hands away from his face only to find a playful smirk hiding beneath. "There isn't even any blood." She said before swatting him again.

"I don't know...I think I have internal bleeding ya know," Naruto grinned. He forced out cough for dramatic effect.

"You big baby." Zero Two leaned forward and planted a kiss on his lips "There. All better?"

"I think I'll live. For now," he smiled, his tail wagging enthusiastically.

"Jeez...get a room," one of the clones smirked.

He was rewarded with a kunai to the forehead and popped out of existence in a cloud of smoke. The others froze as they stared at Zero Two. "Any other smart ass comments?"

"N-No ma'am!" They exclaimed before swiftly returning to their self-assigned tasks.

Naruto himself stared in horror. Where the hell did that kunai even come from? She wasn't even wearing any of her gear! "Neh...that could've easily been me ya know," he said cautiously, causing the girl's attention to shift back to him.

"You gotta keep them in check early or else they start getting mouthy. Besides, I can smell the real you Darling~!" she grinned.

"I see..." Naruto nodded shakily, accepting the answer. The pink haired beauty suddenly bounced to her feet and a glimmer of excitement flashed through her eyes. "Neh Darling, I changed my mind about that date. Let's stay in and watch a movie," she proposed.

"Hm..." Naruto contemplated the thought. It certainly beat having to go out and risk inciting an altercation with one of the villagers. By now he'd grown accustomed to their spite, but last night Zero Two showed she wasn't willing to tolerate it. He found it flattering that she was willing to stand up for him, even if he didn't really need her to. But at the same time he wanted to avoid causing any unnecessary problems if possible. "What did you have in mind?"

A smiled flashed across Zero Two's face as she produced a small case from behind her back. "Only the greatest blockbuster action flick to hit the silver screen this year!" Naruto's eyes nearly fell out of their sockets. In her had Zero Two held a copy of the newest Princess Gale movie. It had only released just two months ago and was already the most critically acclaimed and highest grossing film in the series. He _loved_ the Princess Gale's movies. Though he had this nagging thought in the back of his mind that he shouldn't mention such a fact out loud. In front of Zero Two at least.

"B-But...How?! Naruto all but bellowed out. "This shouldn't be on home video for another few months!"

"Now, now Darling...a maiden has to keep some secrets to herself~!" Her melodic, saccharine voice filled the air as she waved a finger at him. "Here you put it on and I'll grabs some snacks," With a quick flick of the wrist, she tossed the case to Naruto. He watched her skip past one of his clones, but not before flicking it on the forehead. The doppelganger wavered from her touch and she giggled at the silent curses thrown her way. Naruto gawked at the girl, completely mesmerized by the soft sashay of her hips. Portiere of roseate hair, sparkling viridian eyes, and a toothy, devil-may-care simper. She was absolutely beautiful in every way, shape, and form; more so than words could ever describe. At least any of the ones he knew.

"Oi! You with the face! Grab that jar of honey from the top shelf!" Zero Two barked at another of the clones.

"What? you're taller than I am!" Even if it only by a few centimeters, he wasn't wrong.

"But I want _you_ to get it!"

"No, get it yourself!"

"Darling your shadow clone is being mean to me!"

Naruto couldn't help but chuckled at her shenanigans. He was starting to wonder which of them was the more childish one. Turning on a heel, he made his way towards the television that was mounted on the wall. He found a slot on the side which he assumed was for discs. "Huh...What was the question?" he asked coyly as he retrieved the movie from its case.

" _Dahliiiing~!_ "

* * *

Yugao exhaled tiredly as she landed in front of her residence. It had been yet another long, but thankfully uneventful shift. She often found herself envying the regular ninja, who weren't normally subjected to work the nighttide hours. But she loved her village and wanted nothing more than to keep it safe so it was a sacrifice she was willing to make. After momentarily fumbling around in her pouch to retrieve her key, she went to unlock the door only to find it was already open. _'That girl I swear...'_ The violet-haired kunoichi had to pinch the bridge of her nose in an effort to keep calm. She already had a headache and the last thing she wanted was for it to develop into a migraine. Stepping inside her apartment, Yugao immediately took notice of the extra pair of sandals lying on the floor of the entry. They were much to wide in the soles to belong to herself or Zero Two. She pushed them to the side with her feet before slipping out of her own sandals with an alleviated sigh.

She slowly made her way towards the main segment of the apartment when a faint rumble caught her attention. As she drew closer, it grew louder in volume and more severe in intensity. Silently drawing her blade, Yugao stalked down the hallway and she noticed a flashing light in the living room. Upon entering the room she had to stifle a laugh. The source of those unholy bellows turned out to be a snoring Naruto, who was passed out on the couch. His arm and leg were hanging off the side and his mouth hung open as he peacefully snoozed away. And to add to the spectacle, Zero Two was curled up on this chest with her legs intertwined around Naruto's own that remained on the couch. Her mouth was slightly ajar, allowing a thin fiber of drool to escape that was starting to form puddle on the boy's chest. ON the floor in front of the couch was an opened, half empty jar of honey and a bag of jerky.

Yugao smiled as returned her blade to its sheathe. The source of light was the grainy background of the television which had been left on. If she had to guess they had fallen asleep watching a movie. Given the innocent nature of their embrace, she decided to let the teens sleep. They would also need their rest for tomorrow since Kakashi was their appointed Team Captain. Zero Two suddenly sneezed, though it came out as more of a snort, and mumbled something incoherent before settling once more. _'I sooo have to get a picture of this!'_ A sinister snicker pierced the peaceful silence that imbued the apartmant as Yugao slipped out of the room to retrieve her camera.


	7. 007

_**007**_

* * *

An exhausted Naruto pushed his way through the underbrush, nearly collapsing onto grassy plain that was Training Ground Three. Even with all of the sleep he got last night, he still felt rather drained. His morning had been...interesting so far. On the plus side, he'd awoken to Zero Two curled into a ball on his chest. But at the same time, she had slobbered all over on him in her sleep...like a lot. It was the only reason she'd even allowed him to get up in the first place. The rosette was too embarrassed to even speak to him.

After a trip back to his apartment and a short shower later, he was all set for whatever the day had to throw at him. First on the list was his exciting girlfriend. He spent a solid ten minutes fighting her off just so that he could shower alone. While he'd grown used to and appreciated her affections, there were still some things that were a bit too much for his pubescent mind. As "punishment", she forced him to carry her on his back, not that he minded much. ' _Damn it, it's still dark out. Why are we doing this before even Lady Amaterasu herself has woken up?!" Naruto_ grumbled as he glanced towards the eastern horizon. The skyline was pitch black and the sun wouldn't even rise for at least another hour. A soft moan reverberated throughout his ear canal and he gently shifted the weight on his back.

"Are we there yet?" Zero Two groaned.

"Yeah. Looks like we weren't the first ones either," Naruto commented when he spotted a figure seated atop the middle of the three wooden posts. Sasuke spared a glance in their direction and sneered.

"Prince Angst huh? Doesn't surprise me," Zero Two said as she climbed off of Naruto's back." Just then, Sakura came stumbling out of the treeline. "Oh look, even Pinky is here. I figured she would be too busy doing her hair or something." The clearly miffed pinkette threw a glare in the older girl's direction, but didn't offer up a rebuttal. She refused to let Zero Two get under her skin so easily like yesterday. Instead she elected to ignore the couple and crossed the field to the wooden posts, hopeful to Sasuke into a date. Zero Two frowned when her provocations failed to elicit a response from her new teammate.

"Tch, well that's no fun," she yawned before stretching out her body. "Neh Darling, let's have a spar."

"You really think now is a good time?" Naruto queried. "Kakashi-sensei will be here any minute."

"We got _plenty_ of time to kill, trust me," the rosette smirked before settling into a stance. "Unless you're scared of little old me~?" she taunted.

Naruto snorted at the thought. "Tch, You're on!" To be honest, he was rather excited at the opportunity. After seeing her in action the other night, Naruto been enthralled by Zero Two's strength. But he couldn't just rely on her to fight his battles. He would get stronger in his own right and fight as her equal. Naruto cracked his knuckles as he flashed a toothy grin in her direction. "I don't care if you were an ANBU, don't even think about holding back!" Despite the distance and Sakura's loathsome nagging, his words reached Sasuke and the raven-haired boy found his interest piqued.

"I would never do such a thing Darling~! I hope you can keep up!" Zero Two returned his smirk in full.

The rosette flashed out of sight, catching Naruto by surprise. She materialized on his left in the midst of a roundhouse aimed at his head. Naruto was quick to block with his arm but the force alone was enough to send him skidding backwards. Zero Two advanced with a sweeping kick that Naruto managed to narrowly avoid, but not her follow-up swipe at his exposed abdomen. Her nails tore into skin like claws, making the blonde wince. He knocked away her arm but Zero Two pressed on with her assault. She kept Naruto on the defensive with a flurry of kicks and lashed out with a stray punch every so often. She was quite impressed with his performance so far. His stance was awkward and sloppy, which allowed her to easily pick apart his defenses. She wasn't pulling her punches in the slightest yet Naruto shrugged them off as if they we're nothing. If anything, he could definitely take a hit and any fight could boil down to which combatant had more tenacity.

Zero Two feinted an uppercut, to which Naruto countered with a jab. He was too slow to realize his mistake and the rosette took hold of his arm. Zero Two rammed her shoulder into his chest and flipped the dismayed boy over her shoulder, slamming him into the dirt with a sickening crunch.

"Gah!" the blond cried out as he felt the air from his lungs forced out of his body. _'She's certainly keeping her word...'_ He mentally groaned as he tried to regain his breath. Zero Two's face suddenly popped into his view, staring down at him in concern.

"Are you okay Darling?"

"Yeah. Nothing I can't handle," Naruto grunted as she slowly pushed himself back to a standing position. "Come on, let's continue."

"Actually, I have something else in mind," She held up her hand. "It would serve you better if I helped you correct your stance, rather than beat on you senselessly."

"Huuuh?!" the boy blanched, offended by her words. "What do you mean _"correct"_? I thought I was holding my own pretty well."

"I'm being serious Darling. Taijutsu is more than just exchanging blows and seeing who can hold out the longest. A fight between ninjas is can turn deadly at any given moment and if you aren't careful even the slightest mistake can cost you your life. And I for one refuse to let that happen." Zero Two replied matter-of-factly as she poked him in the chest. "So I'll teach you what I know. It's a hell of a lot better than that crap they taught you guys in the academy ya know."

Naruto wanted to protest but her argument was solid. Memories from their fight with Mizuki flashed through his mind and he remembered just how useless he'd been. We're it not for Zero Two, he'd be six feet under by now. She also had a lot more experience when it came to this so it would serve him well to take any help he could get. "Fine..." he grumbled, bringing a smile to his girlfriend's face.

"Alright, first I'll show you a nifty little trick," She said, taking a few steps back to put some distance between them. "I want you to make as many shadow clones as you can."

"Er...sure," Naruto nodded as he brought his hands together. "Shadow Clone Jutsu!" Zero Two watched as a plume of smoke enveloped the entire field and completely obscured her vision. It dispersed seconds later and she nearly faulted at the sight before her. Surrounding her on all sides was an army of Narutos. Even Sasuke and Sakura were left staggered by the sheer number of clones. If she had to guess, there had to at least be a hundred of them. "Will this do?" the blonde questioned.

"Y-Yeah..." Zero Two shook her head, breaking out of her stupor as a smirk found its way to her face. "I hope you're prepared for the workout of your life Darling!"

* * *

Naruto's body went limp, gracelessly collapsing to the ground with a dull thud. "Can't...breathe..."

For the last five hours Zero Two had been putting the legion of her boyfriend's clones through a rather intense training regimen. Majority of the time was spent on Taijutsu. Shaping up his "sloppy" posture as she so delicately put it and drilling technique after technique into him. The rosette herself seemed took great pleasure in the self-appointed task at hand. It was like having her own little personal army to command. For the last hour she had them all pair off for light sparring so that they could put her lessons to practice.

Zero Two smirked as she stared down at the exhausted blonde. She had discarded her blazer for the time being and pulled her hair back into a ponytail. "You'll be alright when you get better Darling. And we haven't even gotten to the good part yet."

Naruto struggled to lift his arm and raised his middle finger at her in response. Unlike the rest of the clones, she had placed a seal on him that weighed down his body. She claimed it was to help build up strength, speed, and endurance but all it did was delay his reactions and make all of his movements sluggish, forcing him to burn through his stamina at an alarming rate. But despite that, he managed to keep pace with his clones throughout her various lessons. Though, she had still yet to explained what this little "trick" of her was.

"You look like you could use a hand boss," one of his clones appeared above him.

It was the same one he'd be assigned to spar with. He never thought that looking at his own vexatious, cocksure grin could piss him off so much. He also realized that he could be a bit of an asshole. "Fuck off!" He leveled a glare at the doppelganger.

"Oi, don't get your panties in a bunch because you couldn't keep up," the clone shrugged. Zero Two suddenly appeared next to him and propped an elbow on his shoulder.

"You did well Darling. Now for the best part!" the rosette beamed. She leaned in close to the clone and whispered into its ear. Naruto watched his clone turn red in and its face contort with a discontented expression. But before it could voice a thought Zero Two punched it in the face, dispelling the double with a pop, much to Naruto's confusion. His brow suddenly furrowed and he shot a heated look in her direction.

"Oi! I told you not to call- Wait...what the hell?!"

The blonde was thrown for a loop. In his mind, he had a distinct memory in his mind of Zero Two whispering in his ear about how "cute and fluffy" his tail was just now, yet she was standing over him and no where close to his head. "What sort of witchcraft is this?!"

"That Darling, is the true strength of the Shadow Clone Jutsu," Zero Two grinned. "Any experience the clones gain during their existence is transferred to the user once they are dispersed," she explained. In her eyes, This made the technique ideal for spying, since the user can simply send a clone to spy on a target, then have the clone disperse itself on the spot to pass the information back to the user.

"That's...some freaky shit right there..." Naruto uttered, still bewildered. How come he'd never noticed this when he used it the day before.

"Indeed, but that's what makes it so excellent for training," Zero Two continued. "The total amount of experience the clones gain is all transferred to the user when they are dispelled. For example, if you create one shadow clone and train together with it for an hour, you will gain a total of two hours of training when the clone is dispelled, despite training only for one actual hour. The total hours of training undergone by both you and the clone are added together. Simple math really."

It was certainly a nifty trick unique to the technique alone. The old geezer had shown it to her long ago, but she could only make two at the time. But Naruto could summon a hundred on a whim. Training that could take weeks or months can be completed in a few hours. If she had to guess, he was the only person able to effectively make use of this type of training, due to the sheer amount of chakra he possessed.

"Is that like...cheating ya know?" Naruto questioned, earning a shrug from the rosette.

"The way of the Shinobi is filled with deception. He who has the upper hand controls the pace of the battle. And believe me Darling, this gives you quite the advantage compared to most."

"Huh...guess you have a point," the blond reasoned as he sat up. "Wait...there's like a hundred clones here!"

Zero Two only grinned as realization hit him. "That's right. The last five hours you've spent training will be more like 500 once they're all dispelled." She'd already given her beloved nearly three weeks of training and it wasn't even noon yet. His potential for growth was limitless.

"Bad...ass!" Naruto exclaimed. He brought his hands together, eager to soak in the plethora of knowledge that had just been bestowed upon him, which made Zero Two's eyes widen.

"Darling wait that's-"

She was too late. In a mere moment, all of Naruto's clones dispersed at once, flooding the boy's mind with a surge of information. "Eh?!" Naruto's eye twitched in shock before he promptly fell back to the ground. The aghast expression etched onto his face was almost comical as he faded out of consciousness.

"-not a good idea..." The teal-eyed girl finished with a sigh. While the technique can be extremely beneficial, one had to excerise caution when using multiple clones for training purposes. It was best to dispel them gradually so as to ease the mental stress it afflicted upon the user.

Staring down at her beloved, she reasoned he wouldn't be waking up any time soon, at least not on his own. But she already had a plan set in motion that she figured would do the trick. It was just a matter of waiting. Glancing around the field, Zero Two noticed that their so-called sensei had still yet to show his face, which didn't surprise her. His perpetual tardiness was on of his more irksome traits.

She saw Sasuke on the other side of the field near the river that bisected the training ground. He'd brandished a ninjatō and was gracefully flowing through a series of katas that weren't unfamiliar to herself. _'So he's a swordsman as well,'_ she thought, not surprised in the slightest. The Uchiha Clan was widely known for their prowess in battle and a vast majority of them were highly skilled swordsman. In fact, the kenjutsu style utilized by the ANBU was derived from a schooling that was once employed by the warmongering clan.

She spotted Sakura not too far off sitting atop of the wooden posts. The girl, in all of her infinite wisdom, had elected to pass the time ogling their dark-haired teammate. This made Zero Two scoff in annoyance. It was girls like her that gave kunoichi a bad name. Rather than perfecting her skills, she would much rather waste time on trivial things like appearances and fangirling over boys.

Sparring a glance at slumbering Naruto, who was now snoring at this point, a smile lit up the half-blood girl's features. To be fair, even she was slightly guilty of that. She had practically squealed on the inside the first time he called her beautiful and he wasn't bothered by her horns in the slightest. And she may obsess over the blond at times, but never to the point of what one would consider to be a fan girl. Ok maybe a little...But Naruto never had any to root for him until now, and she was more than willing to be his personal cheerleader.

 _'But that's beside the point!'_ The rosette blushed at the thought. _'Girls like Pinky don't last long in this career field.'_ The life of a ninja was short enough as is. If the girl didn't shape and get serious about her training, she would find hers to be a lot shorter than she expected. Not that Zero Two cared much anyway.

The rustling of leaves caught Zero Two's attention and she turned to see Kakashi emerge from the forest. "Good morning!" He waved jovially at her.

"Hmph!" Zero Two scoffed in return, making the jōnin sweat drop. It was then Kakashi took notice of Naruto's unconscious form sprawled out in the grass.

"Er...what's up with him?" He queried.

"Well, while you were taking your sweet time, Darling and I were busy training. Don't worry, he'll be awake soon enough," Zero Two answered curtly.

"Uh...training?"

"Training."

Seeing the girl standing before him defiantly, not even sparring him a glance, Kakashi only sighed. He waved to his other two charges, drawing their attention and they began to make their way over. Sakura stormed her way up to then silver-haired man and pointed an accusatory finger at him. "You're late!"

Kakashi, for his part, actually managed to look embarrassed as he scratched the back of his head. "Sorry about that. This black cat crossed my path so I had to take the long way around."

Sakura's eyebrow twitched and even Sasuke brought a hand to his forehead with an annoyed sigh. Another rustle in the bushes caught everyone's attention. A second Zero Two entered the field, carrying large plastic bags in both hands. "Well it's about damn time!" Zero Two threw her hands up in exasperation. In the midst of training her beloved, she had created a shadow clone to run back to the village to fetch some food. They hadn't really eaten much that morning for breakfast and with the regimen she'd put him through, the near indefatigable Naruto was bound to have worked up an appetite by now. Hell, even she had started to get hungry just from watching him work.

"Oi, I'm _not_ a messenger bird ya know!" The double shot back as she crossed the glade, equally irritated. "I only did this for Darling's sake."

"Yeah, yeah, did you get the goods?" Zero Two waved dismissively. She accepted the bags from her clone and began rummaging through their contents to ensure nothing had been left out.

"Of course! Twenty sticks of Mitarashi Dango costed in honey and three large orders of ramen from Ichiraku's for Darling," The clone rolled its eyes. "Did you you know he has a special named after him there?!"

"You're dismissed," Zero Two waved her hand as she finished ransacking the bags, dispelling the clone. She looked up and noticed the eyes of the rest of their team staring at her in bewilderment. "What? I got hungry..."

"Kakashi-sensei said not to eat anything before the exercise." Sakura pointed out. She felt her stomach grumble when the smell of food reached her nose.

"Noooo, his exact words were, and I quote, _'I'd skip breakfast if I were you.'_ " Zero Two said matter-of-factly. "That's more of a suggestion and not a direct order."

Kakashi moved to speak, only to stop himself. _'Damn...she has a point. I just assumed they would actually heed my warning.'_ Seeing the horned girl smirk victoriously at his lack of a rebuttal, he mentally cursed himself. He'd have to start being more direct with his instructions in the future.

Zero Two shuffled over to the still sleeping Naruto and sat down next to his head. She retrieved one of the containers of ramen and popped off the lid. "Time to wake up Darling~!" She sang as she held it up to his nose. The scented vapors wafted over the blond's face and his nose twinged. His tail squirmed and his eyes shot open before he jolted upright, wide awake.

"IT WASN'T ME IRUKA-SENSEI I SWEAR!"

Naruto glanced around in a panic, which quickly morphed into confusion. Sasuke, Sakura, and Kakashi were staring at him, each bearing a befuddled expression. Then there was Zero Two sitting next to him, smiling brightly. "W-What happened? How long was I out?" His attention was soon drawn to the large styrofoam cup his girlfriend was holding in her hand.

"Is...is that what I think it is?" He inquired shakily as his mouth began to water.

"Yep~!" Zero Two beamed as she placed it in his hand. "Figured you'd be hungry. And there's two more where that came from!"

Naruto's gaze quickly shifted back and forth between the grinning Zero Two and the broth of the gods that he now held in his hands. His chest began to swell with unfamiliar emotions as a goofy grin found its way to the boy's face. "You're the best Zero Two!"

"And don't you forget it~!" She winked at him.

"So you two just are just gonna sit there and stuff your faces knowing me and Sasuke-kun haven't eaten?!" Sakura all but shrieked. Sasuke tried to keep his expression indifferent but he too was betrayed by a gurgle from his abdomen.

"Damn right! Sounds like a personal problem," Zero Two blabbed as she gnawed away on a stick of dango.

"My Ramen!" Naruto held the container close to his chest as he eyed the rest of his team warily.

"I wouldn't get too comfortable Naruto," Kakashi spoke up, barging in on the teens' touching moment. "We'll be starting the exercise in a short moment."

"Oh not a problem Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto assured him. Without sparring a second thought, Naruto put the cup to his mouth and practically inhaled the entirety of its contents while his teammates observed with horrified expressions. The only exception was Zero Two, who was happily munching away on another skewer of sweetened dumplings. Naruto quickly snatched another container of ramen from the bag before looking up at the scarecrow ninja expectantly. "You were saying?"

"R-Right..." Kakashi recomposed himself as he banished the memory of the boy's recent display from his mind. "This survival exercise will be a test. In order to pass, you much take away these bells from me by using any means necessary," he explained as he withdrew a pair of silver bell from his pouch. They were tied together by a small red string which he used to fasten them to his flak vest. This prompted Sakura to raise her hand.

"Um...there's only two Kakashi sensei."

"I'm glad you pointed that out Sakura," he said jovially. "I talked it over with the Hokage and as it turns out, I only need two of you. Whosoever manages to get a bell will become a full-fledged genin and the other will be sent back to the academy. That is of course if either of you actually do manage to get one."

"So let me get this straight," Naruto said as he finished slurping down his third serving of ramen. Kakashi blinked in surprise. He hadn't even noticed him finish the second one. "All we have to do is take those bells from you?"

"Exactly. By any means necessary. I'm authorizing the use of weapons, ninjutsu, and the like. You'll never succeed unless you come at me with the intent to kill." He explained.

"Sounds easy enough!" Naruto exclaimed before jumping to his feet. That ramen really hit the spot and he felt completely reenergized.

"Also Zero Two, you won't be taking part in this test. Your success depends solely on whether or not Naruto passes." Kakashi informed.

"Fine by me," the girl shrugged apathetically. "I have faith in my Darling."

"Alright you guys have until this timer goes off," the silver-haired man said as he pulled a small windup clock out of his pouch. "That gives you two hours." Kakashi walked away from the group of teens and made his way toward the trio of wooden posts in the middle of the field.

"Don't worry Zero Two, I'll get one of those bells in no time!" Naruto flashed her a grin, pumping his fist excitedly. With everything she'd done for him, he refused to let her down.

"Do your best Darling~! And kick his ass good for me!" She returned the gesture with a bright smile.

Kakashi set the timer on the middle post before turning to face his charges once more. "You may start whenever. Remember, time is of the essence."

Almost immediately, Sasuke and Sakura flickered out of existence. He was rather impressed with how well they'd managed to conceal their presence. _'Good. It seems they understand the importance of remaining undetected. A good ninja only strikes when the opportunity arises. And then there's this one...'_ His eyes fell on Naruto who stood before him, a cocksure grin plastered on his face. "You don't seem to keen on this whole ninja thing do you?"

"Oh please, you're looking at the number one prankster in all of the Hidden Leaf," The blond laughed. He had evaded the ANBU many times without ever getting caught. Hiding in the shadows was second nature to him. But was not the time for hiding. This situation called for a more direct approach. "Let's see what you're made of O' great jōnin!"

Naruto took off, making a beeline for the older ninja, who simply stood in place. Kakashi's hand moved towards his pouch, setting off alarms in the boy's head. Naruto skidded to a halt, eyeing his sensei cautiously.

"In that case, we'll start with the first lesson: Taijutsu." Kakashi reached inside his pouch and withdrew his small orange book. He flipped it open to the page he'd been reading previously before casting a look at the apprehensive blond. "Well?"

"Oi! What's the big idea?!" Naruto snorted.

"What? One hand will be more than enough to take on the likes of you. Don't forget the clock is still running," Kakashi said dismissively as he turned to the next page.

A scowl marred Naruto's features as he glared at the man. He was looking down on him like everyone else, and that pissed him of to no end. His hand shot to his own pouch and he palmed a kunai before charging in. He slashed at the seemingly unsuspecting jōnin, but was surprised when the man effortlessly caught his wrist. "Well at least you came at me with the intent to kill," Kakashi noted.

Gritting his teeth, Naruto went for a low kick to which Kakashi easily stepped over. Using him momentum, Naruto spun and brought up his other leg, lashing out with a roundhouse. Kakashi released his hold on the boy's arm and batted the offending leg away. Naruto somersaulted backwards to give himself some space and brought his hands up in a cross sign.

 _ **"Shadow Clone Jutsu!"**_ He cried out. Five identical copies of the blond appeared at his side.

 _'I see...he employs solid clones. This could be tricky,'_ Kakashi thought to himself.

"We'll see how well you handle this with one hand!" Naruto spat as he and his clones rushed forward.

Hidden in the trees, Sasuke observed the fight from a far. _'So this is the strength of a jōnin,'_ He watched as the horde of blonds swarmed the man, coming at him from all sides. He had overheard what Zero Two said earlier about training with shadow clones and he'd dismissed the idea as shear ludicrousy. But as he watched Naruto fight, he couldn't help but notice a significant change in the boy's movements. They were sharper and more refined compared to the brawling tactics he used while they were in the academy when they had sparred. And unless his eyes were deceiving him, he also appeared to be somewhat faster as well.

Sasuke would admit that the blond was the only one in their class that was capable of going toe-to-toe with him, even as the dead last, but he'd always bested Naruto. And now he was fighting on a completely different level than before. He soon found himself thinking such an obscene method of training might actually have some merit to it. The raven-haired teen's eyes flashed red and three distinct tomoe swirled around his iris as his Sharingan spun to life. He just had to standby idly and wait for an opening to strike.

Zero Two had also had also been watching the fight intently from the sidelines. All in all, her Darling was doing an excellent job at pressuring the scarecrow, but he couldn't seem to land a solid hit. All of his attacks were easily deflected or evaded by the experienced jōnin, which she had no doubt in her mind was thanks to the Sharingan hidden in his left eye. She was no stranger to the older man's old reputation. His peers knew him by many titles, such as the _"Friend-Killer"_ and _"Cold-Blooded"_ , but the most prominent of them all was was _"Kakashi of the Sharingan"_.

Hell, even the first time she met Kakashi she had been wary of the man. It was her very first taijutsu spar, at the behest of the old geezer. She could admit he was quite strong and his reputation spoke for itself, but she had lost all respect for him after he used that _damnable **"1000 Years of Death"**_ technique on her. Zero Two shuddered at the memory. Never in her life had she felt so _violated_. But as she spectated their battle, she felt herself swelling with pride. Naruto seemed to take to her training like a fish in water. He still had a long way to go of course, considering this was the first time putting it to practice, but it was progress nonetheless. _'Go on Darling. Show him what you're made of!'_ She silently encouraged her beloved.

Kakashi avoided a kick aimed at his side with a half-step and struck the clone in the face, promptly dispelling it. He turned to face the last remaining Naruto. The boy was admittedly more skilled than he'd originally given him credit for but it wasn't nearly enough. "You're going to have to try a lot harder than that if you're hoping to get a bell." He was slightly put off by the boy's smirk and soon sharp pain behind his knee that coursed throughout his leg. Kakashi dropped down, only to find himself caught in a full nelson hold. He quickly glanced over his shoulder and spotted another Naruto, grinning madly. _'Another clone?! But when?'_ His attention snapped to back tot he other Naruto who was charging at them with his arm drawn back.

"I'll show you to underestimate me!" the blonde roared.

Channeling all of his strength, he drove his fist into the silver-haired man's face. Or so he thought at least. Confusion settled onto the blond's face when he saw his other self go flying from the impact. "Eh?!" Naruto groaned as he tried to rub the soreness out of his jaw.

"You idiot! You were supposed to hit Kakashi-sensei ya know!" He barked at his clone.

"Why the hell did you get in the way?!" his double retorted.

"I didn't! You missed dumbass!"

Sasuke sweat dropped at the blond's stupidity. Only Naruto could actually manage to argue with himself. Unlike his ignorant teammate, he'd witnessed how the entire altercation unfolded thanks to his Sharingan. Kakashi had used the Substitution Jutsu to replace himself with the Naruto holding him before disappearing into the nearby tree. _'Damn it...Kakashi-sensei is crafty. But if that loser managed to make him drop his guard then I just have to wait for another opportunity to arise.'_ He thought to himself.

Kakashi reappeared on the field moments later, drawing the attention of the bickering blonds. He stashed his book away back inside his pouch before turning to face his student. "Very good Naruto. I admit I underestimated you," he said. Naruto was about to speak when all of a sudden a volley of kunai burst from the trees slammed into Kakashi's side, knocking him off his feet. Naruto's eyes widened in horror as he spotted Sasuke land in the field. "Oi Sasuke! That was a bit much ya know!"

"Would shut up already you idiot," the Uchiha scoffed. "This is far from over."

"What was that you bastard?!" Naruto roared. But as soon as the words left his mouth, Kakashi's body ruptured in a cloud of smoke, revealing a small log that was embedded with Sasuke's kunai.

"He's right Naruto," a voice came from behind the the raven-haired teen. "This is far from over. A ninja must see through deception."

A glare flashed through Sasuke's eyes and he spun around with a low, sweeping kick. Kakashi vaulted over the boy, catching him by surprise. He took hold of Sasuke's shoulder as he landed and harshly tossed him in Naruto's direction. Sasuke was quick to right himself in mid air with and slid to a stop beside his downed teammate. He drew sword in one fluid motion before eyeing his sensei critically.

 _'So already has a fully matured Sharingan. Interesting...'_ Kakashi thought to himself. He wasn't left much time to ponder the thought as the boy charged at him with his blade poised to strike. Sasuke slashed at his torso but Kakashi sidestepped the strike and pulled a kunai from his holster. Sasuke flourished his blade and went to stab his sensei only to be deflected away. "You seem rather handy with a sword," Kakashi commented.

"I'm nothing like those other two hinderances!" Sasuke scoffed as he pressed on with his assualt. The two engaged in a carcinogenic waltz of steel in the middle of the field. Kakashi noted that Sasuke was considerably faster than his blond counterpart and his movements were a lot sharper and more precise, thanks to his dojutsu. After deflecting another strike aimed at his head, Kakashi moved to counter but in an impressive show of speed, Sasuke lashed out with an unsuspecting roundhouse. The jōnin was forced to drop his kunai to block attack. He held Sasuke's foot to keep him in place but the boy surprised him ever further when he relinquished his sword and threw a right cross. He caught the fist with his free hand, forcing the two into a deadlock. Or so he thought at least.

A smirk crossed Sasuke's features as he brought up his other leg. Using Kakashi's arm as leverage, he kicked himself away and his hands started to rapidly shift through a series of hand signs, ones that Kakashi recognized all too well.

 _ **"Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!"**_

A massive orb of fire exploded from the flying Uchiha's mouth and rocketed towards the startled Kakashi. Reflexes took over and the scarecrow ninja jumped up to avoid the blast when he noticed a shadow looming overhead. After seeing Sasuke cross blades with their sensei, Naruto saw it as an opportunity to make a move of his own and came flying in with a spinning axe kick. _'He used the fireball to cover his approach!'_ Kakashi analyzed as the blond teen descended on him. Not one to be bested, twisted his body at the last second to avoid being hit and thrust his palm upward into Naruto's chin, stunning him. He grabbed the boy's arm and spun him around before slinging him at the off guard Uchiha. Naruto slammed into Sasuke with a resounding thud, causing both teens to knock heads as the skipped across the field before crashing into the dirt in an unceremonious heap.

"Don't get in my way you idiot!" Sasuke barked as he shoved Naruto off of him.

"Oi you're the one that's in the way ya know!" The vehement blond shot back.

Both were too heated to notice the hand that burst from the ground between them until it was too late. It reached over and forcefully took hold of Naruto's ankle. "Eh?"

 _ **"Earth Style-Headhunter Jutsu!"**_

The duo were both taken by surprise when Naruto was suddenly yanked downward into the earth, leaving him buried up to his neck. "EHH?!" The blonde cried out in confusion. Kakashi stepped out of the dirt behind them with a grin. "Lesson number two: Ninjutsu!"

Sasuke gritted his teeth and hurriedly bounced to his feet. Using the incapacitated Naruto's head as a springboard, he vaulted into the air and his hands started forming signs again. Kakashi's eyes widened. _'He wouldn't...'_

"Don't step on me you son of a-"

 _ **"Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!**_ "

Another ball of flame burst forward from the Uchiha and rocketed towards the ground, raining down on Naruto and Kakashi's position. Zero Two's eyes widened in horror until she caught sight of Kakashi reappearing on the other side of the field. She breathed a sigh of relief when she spotted her beloved, who was being held up by his collar in this scarecrow's grasp.

"You bastard! You could've killed me ya know!" Naruto raged as he waved his fist at Sasuke.

The raven-haired teen landed gracefully next to his sword and only sneered in response. "I told you not to get in my way."

Kakashi's eyes narrowed. The boy had an obvious disregard for the life of his comrades. But before he could reprimand him, he sensed a sudden presence to his rear. Kakashi tossed Naruto aside and the blond was sent sailing into the river, cursing his sensei as he flew. Kakashi spun around a delicate arm which held a kunai that was aimed at his back and took hold of the slender appendage. In a quick reversal, he forced his assailant to her knees. Sakura let out a pained cry as she felt her arm twisted behind her back.

The pinkette cursed for allowing herself to get caught. She had used a genjutsu to conceal herself while her two male teammates engaged their sensei. She saw an opening when he saved Naruto from Sasuke's reckless attack, but her plan backfired in the worst possible way and she'd been taken hostage. Naruto emerged from the river moments later, hacking up water as he pulled himself onto dry land. He glanced over to see Kakashi holding Sakura in place by her hair while directing the girl's own hand, armed with a kunai, at the back of her head.

"You three should give up being ninja," Kakashi glared at the trio. Gone was his usual mirthful and uncaring tone, instead replaced by irritability. "It's already apparent to me that you guys will never understand the true meaning of this test."

"Oh yeah? Care to enlighten us then," Naruto growled.

"Tch...are you all brain dead or what? Why think the Hokage put you all into three man teams?" Kakashi questioned. His gaze shifted between the trio and he shook his head in disappoint when neither of them could provide an answer. "The answer is teamwork."

"Teamwork? You mean like working together?" Sakura spoke up from her downed position.

"That's exactly right, not that you fools could ever comprehend that. Naruto, all you do is run solo. Sasuke, you too acted on your own, labelling the other two as hinderances and even went as far as to endanger Naruto's life. And you Sakura, hid the entire time and your recklessness led you you being taken captive." He berated the three of them.

"Missions are carried out in squads for a reason. While it is important for ninja to each have unsurpassed skills of their own, nothing is more important than teamwork!" The spike-haired jōnin continued. "Individual actions that disrupt that throw the team into a crisis which can lead to loss of life. For example..." Kakashi tightened his grip on Sakura's arm, forcing another cry out of the girl as he inched the knife closer to her head. "Naruto, kill Sasuke or Sakura dies!"

All three genin flinched at his words, and the two males tensed as they hesitantly locked gazes. Upon seeing their reactions, Kakashi took it to mean his words sunk in and they realized just how dire the situation was. "Now that you-"

"Tch teamwork?" Naruto spat. "I'll show you teamwork!"

Before Kakashi could get a word out, Naruto fired off a kunai in Sasuke's direction, surprising the older boy. He flourished his blade with a scowl and blocked the projectile. He snatched it out of the air before it hit the ground, aiming to return it back with equal fervor, but his eyes bulged the moment he touched the handle. _'So that's his play...'_

"Naruto! What do you thin-" Kakashi was interrupted when Sasuke took that same kunai and launched it in this direction. Gritting his teeth angrily, he disarmed Sakura of her own kunai and used it to bat away the one barreling towards his head. "You two-"

The deflected knife exploded in a cloud of smoke that dispersed to reveal another Naruto. Not giving the alarmed man any time to react, Naruto grabbed onto Kakashi's wrist, leaving the man with no way to defend himself. "A ninja must see through deception! Right Kakashi-sensei?!" The blond exclaimed as he drove his foot into the side of the unwary scarecrow's head.

"Gah!" Kakashi grunted in pain. The sudden impact startled him so much that he released his grip on Sakura's hair. The pinkette immediately moved to escape when something caught her eye. Naruto flipped away and landed next to Sakura, who herself had rolled to safety in the ensuing confusion. Kakashi quickly recovered and rage streaked through his lone eye. Said rage quickly dissipated and was replaced with fear as his gaze fell on his charges.

"Neh, you seem to be quite fond of this Kakashi-sensei?" Sakura smiled as she helped up a small orange book. Kakashi's hands shot to his backside and his horrors were confirmed when he noticed his pouch was missing.

He turned back to see the three of them standing there with varying degrees of victorious expressions. Naruto and Sakura bore matching grins while Sasuke merely smirked as the Sharingan faded from his eyes. "We're willing to give it back to you in exchange for the bells."

"Do you really think I can be persuaded like such?" Kakashi did his best to play it cooly, but inside he was panicking. _'That's an original paperback copy signed by Jiraiya-sama himself!'_ He had purchased it long ago before the books switched to hardback covers and they nearly impossible to find these days. The fact that it was signed by the author as well practically made it a collectors item worth a fortune in the right market.

"Hey Sasuke-kun, that fire jutsu was pretty cool. Can you show us again?" Sakura sweetly requested.

"Gladly," the stoic teen replied with a smirk as he started channeling chakra.

"Alright, Alright!" Kakashi relented. As much as he hated to admit, he'd been duped. He had no choice but to relinquish the bells to save his prized possession. And in doing so, that would mean they'd accomplished the original objective of the test in the first place. They had even worked together at the end to do so, no matter how uncanny and unorthodox their methods were. "Guess I don't have much of a choice here," the silver-haired jōnin chuckled to himself. "You all pass."

"YOSH!"

"Alright!"

"Hn."

"Now if you don't mind, my book please," Kakashi extended his hand out, trying to hide the desperation in his tone.

"Oh right, sure thing." Sakura placed the book back inside Kakashi's pouch before handing it back to him when a thought occurred to her. "Neh Kakashi-sensei, if the whole point of this test was teamwork, they why are there only 2 bells? That only served to create discord amongst the three of us."

"That was the whole point. If you three had failed to come together as a team, then I would have failed you like the rest of the groups sent my way. But even then, you guys still have a long way to go," Kakashi replied.

Naruto suddenly caught sight of Zero Two approaching the group. "Hey Zero Two, I did! Just like I promised!" He waved excitedly at her. His enthusiasm slowly evaporated when he noticed the grimace marring her delicate features. Her steps were heavy as she purposefully strode across the field. She marched right up to Sasuke and slugged him with a heavy cross, astonishing everyone. Sasuke's blazed to life as he glowered at the rosette but he found himself frozen by her icy stare. Zero Two's eyes were burning a fiery shade of vermillion reminiscent of his own, but what disturb him the most were her glowing horns.

"I don't care if you're the last Uchiha, the Hokage, or the Fire Daimyo himself! You threaten my Darling's life like that ever again and I'll kill you myself!" She snarled.

"Hey you can-"

"Shove it Pinky!"

Sakura recoiled in fear when the older girl's wrathful gaze fell on her. Kakashi brought a hand to his forehead and let out a sigh.

"Zero Two, brash as she is, does have a point. You were out of line back there Sasuke. Had I not pulled Naruto out he could've been gravely injured or even worse, killed," he admonished. "Those who break the rules in the shinobi world are trash, but those who would forsake their comrades are worse than that. I don't expect you all to be buddy buddy, but you will have respect for one another as teammates. Is that understood?"

A collective "yes sir" circulated around the group of teens, with the exception of the still fuming Zero Two, to which he hadn't really expected a response in the first place. "Good, glad we could all come to an understanding." Kakashi clapped his hands together. His lone eye crinkled in such away that it looked as if it were smiling itself. "That being said, I must report your success to Hokage-sama. We will reconvene tomorrow to start actual missions, but for now you're all dismissed for the day." With a small wave and another eye smile, Kakashi disappeared in a puff of smoke.

"Tch...how annoying," Sasuke grumbled as he picked himself off the ground and dusted off his clothes. "Naruto."

"Huh?" Came the blond's intelligent reply.

"That was a gutsy move you pulled back there. But just because it paid off doesn't mean anything has changed. You're still the dead last in my eyes." Sasuke chided.

"Ha! I'm the one who's gonna be the all-star of this team. Just you wait!" Naruto grinned, unperturbed by the older boy's remarks.

"In your dreams idiot."

"Up yours bastard."

The two boys locked eyes, exerting their wills over one another with neither willing to back down. Moments passed before Sasuke final closed his eyes and turned away. "You aren't even worth my time," he spoke ostentatiously, careful to hide his smirk as he flickered away.

"Pay him no mind. You were amazing Darling!" Zero Two beamed. "You kicked him so hard I thought his head was going to fly off!" At least she was really hoping it would.

"It was nothing!" Naruto grinned, happy to see his girlfriend return to her cheery self. "But I don't think I could've done it with out your help Zero Two," he smiled before pulling her in for a kiss.

"Well I _am_ pretty amazing ya know!" the roseate girl simpered at his praise.

Upon seeing the excitable couple gush over one another, Sakura silently excused herself. The last thing she wanted to see was other people being all lovey dovey, especially when her own love life was practically nonexistent. _'I suppose they aren't so bad after all...'_ the pinkette thought to herself as she exited the training ground.


	8. 008

_**008**_

* * *

"Ha! I got-"

 ** _SMACK!_**

"Ow!"

"You're getting hasty again Naruto."

The blond began profusely rubbing the sore spot on his forehead in an effort to ebb away the pain. He shot a defiant glare at the woman before him, who remained unfazed.

"I told you before, kenjutsu is about balance. You can't just go around swinging your sword all willy nilly," Yugao chastised, halting their spar as she tapped her hand with the wooden bokken.

"You don't have to hit me so hard y'know!" Naruto grumbled.

"There's just something about pain that makes people listen," Yugao replied sagely, wagging her finger for added effect.

Zero Two couldn't help but chuckle at her beloved's capering. She was seated in the grass beneath a large oak tree on the outer edge of the field they had designated as their training area for the day. As she watched Naruto and Yugao dive back into the fray, the roseate girl began to reflect on the recent events that had transpired in her life.

It had been a month now since Team Seven has been commissioned under Hatake Kakashi. But even though they were an official team now and had begun taking on missions, it all basically amounted to grunt work. D-rank missions were assigned to genin fresh from the Academy, as they posed almost no risk to the life or limb.

They mostly consisted of odd jobs like farming, finding lost pets, and even babysitting sometimes. Naruto regularly voiced the team's collective displeasure at having to do other people's chores. But Kakashi always ignored his complaints, stating that these missions were to help them build up teamwork and a sense of camaraderie with one another.

Zero Two's eyes rolled in their sockets at the thought. Ever since the day of their exercise, the resident Uchiha of the group had earned a spot on her shit list. That stunt he pulled with his fire jutsu had nearly cost her Darling his life and just thinking about it still made her blood boil to this day. With Sakura, her and the younger pinkette seemed to have reached an unspoken agreement of not squabbling amongst one another, unlike the males of their squad. She still found her constant fawning over Sasuke highly irksome but at least she wasn't as bitchy anymore. Sakura had even gone the extra mile by offering companionship.

Zero Two had immediately dismissed the idea of course. Why bother dealing with other people unnecessarily when all she ever needed was her Darling? But it was at Naruto's behest that she try befriending the pinkette, his logic being that they would all be teammates for the foreseeable future so it couldn't hurt. She loathed the idea, but her blond furry had requested it so she was at least willing to put for the effort. The rosette couldn't help but giggle, knowing the boy would be livid if he knew she referred to him like such in secret.

After the exercise, Naruto had thrown himself tirelessly into his training. It was mostly perfecting his newly acquired taijutsu style but she had also taught him Chakra Adhesion to help with his admittedly shoddy chakra control. Were it up to her, learning how to walk on surfaces and water should be a basic requirement for graduating into the ninja career field.

Using some chakra paper, they had discovered that Naruto had a natural affinity for wind nature chakra. The geezer had told her long ago that it was a rarity among the five chakra natures and even more so in the Land of Fire. Zero Two giggled again, remembering the blond's face when she explained it to him and the two minute rant about how awesome her was that transpired afterwards.

Unfortunately, there weren't too many people walking around with extensive knowledge on wind nature. Even their sensei, the fabled Copy-Nin himself was of no help. But he did manage to point them in the direction of the Hokage's son Sarutobi Asuma, the only other person in the entire village with a natural wind affinity. The man was quite surprised to learn of another sharing his element, but he was too busy training his own team, another group of genin from Naruto's class, to offer much advice. He was at least able to show Naruto a practical exercise to help him harness his latent wind chakra and even wrote down a few jutsu for the aspiring teen to add to his arsenal.

But her beloved's latest endeavor came as a surprise. Out of nowhere, he expressed interest in learning Kenjutsu; he claimied that mastering a weapon would on add to his prowess as a shinobi. She had of course offered to teach him how to use a spear but the blond was adamant on wielding a sword. Though, Zero Two has a sneaking suspicion it had something to do with their raven-haired teammate. He and the Uchiha had this odd 'Anything you can do, I can do better' rivalry going on. Petty as it was, it did help motivate him to get stronger and she was more than willing support him.

That's where Yugao came into the picture. Zero Two herself, as much as she hated to admit it, couldn't be of much help to her Darling in this particular situation due to her fighting style being a mix of bojutsu and naginatajutsu. Sure, she could effectively wield a tanto, but she was no master when it came to sword fighting. When she brought up the request to her guardian, it excited the older kunoichi. A bit too much in fact. She had accepted almost immediately and Zero Two could've sworn she heard the woman giggle with anticipation.

That was two weeks ago and the violet-haired ANBU had dedicated all three of her days off throughout the week to instructing her new pupil. Naruto was a bit slow when it came to learning the katas, mostly due to the fact that Yugao was a perfectionist and he tended to rush. But with the help of his shadow clones, he'd managed to get down the basic stances in only three days.

Yugao had been impressed at how the boy soaked in her teachings like a sponge. The two of them had spent the last few sessions sparring to help Naruto get better acclimated to the fast pacing of an actual sword fight. Unlike taijutsu, _every_ mistake could proven to be fatal and one could only learn so much by swinging at air.

 ** _SMACK!_**

"Ouch!"

"Don't rush in blindly. Let your opponent's moves guide you."

"I am but-"

 ** _SMACK!_**

"Don't let your guard down either!"

"Argh! Would you sto-"

 ** _SMACK!_**

Naruto went silent as the bokken fell from his grasp and both hands shot to the new set of lumps growing atop his head. His azure eyes narrowed, baring into the woman standing before him with a venom-laced stare. Her gaze was stern and unyielding, but she had a smirk plastered on her face. She was enjoying this; He just knew it.

"Oi you said I wasn't allowed to beat on your boyfriend so I would appreciate if you showed me the same courtesy y'know," Zero Two announced from her spot on the sidelines.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Yugao replied coyly. "This is nothing but a educational moment being shared between master and student."

"I have to agree with Zero Two on this one." A voiced called out from the forest. Three sets of eyes panned to see Kakashi emerge from the trees, signature book in hand. "Naruto might be hard-headed but even he is bound to soften up after a few more hits like those," the silver-haired man chortled.

"OI! YOU WANNA SAY THAT TO-"

"What brings you to this neck of the woods Senpai?" Yugao queried, ignoring the blond's enraged shouts.

"I came for Twozumaki. We have a new mission," he said as he turned to a new page in his book.

"Oh god not you too Kakashi-sensei..." Naruto drawled. It was a nickname bestowed upon himself and Zero Two courtesy of his old classmates, or more specifically Ino. Zero Two thought it was cute and didn't seem to mind but he loathed it. "And what kind of mission? I swear to god if we have to go catch Tora again..." Naruto's features darkened at thought. Eight...eight times they had been sent to apprehend the Fire Diamyo's Wife's cat after she had run away. Granted, he understood why after meeting the portly, spendthrift woman for the first time. She practically coddled the poor cat to death. While he felt for the feline, Naruto was sick of having to chase after her.

"Nothing like that this time I promise," Kakashi chuckled. "You see, I did some thinking and I think you guys might be ready for something a bit more challenging."

"You mean we're finally getting-"

"No Naruto, we are _not_ going on an S rank mission," the scarecrow-nin interrupted, shattering the boy's hopes. "I requested a C -rank mission from Hokage-sama and he has bestowed upon us a simple escort mission. Easiest as they come."

"Escort? to where?" Zero Two spoke up, rising to her feet.

"Wave Country. Our job is to protect a bridge builder en route back to his home village until the completed construction of a bridge he's building."

"Wait so like...you mean outside the country?" She asked. After being brought back alongside Naruto all those years ago, she hadn't bothered to step foot outside the village proper much, except for a few sorties to neighboring towns. She never really had a reason to. But this mission would have them setting out for an entirely different nation.

"Correct. This is going to be a long-term mission. I expect there's a chance it could take a few weeks so make sure you guys pack accordingly. We depart tomorrow morning at 0800. That's all I came to say. Bye bye~!" With a short wave and a smile of his eye, Kakashi disappeared in a puff of smoke.

"Awesome! I've never been outside the village before!" Naruto shouted excitedly. His eyes met with Zero Two's, who was giving him a blank expression. "Ok that's not entirely true but you know what I meant!" he quickly corrected himself. The rosette crossed her arm, maintaining her vexed expression. "Oh come on Zero Two that's not fair y'know!"

The girl finally relented with a smirk. He just made it too easy sometimes. "I'll let you off the hook this time Darling. But you have to massage my feet when we get home."

"Again...?"

"And carry me."

A tired sigh escaped the blond as his shoulders sagged. Yugao approached slowly and offered a sympathetic pat on the back. "Once again, I thank you for taking her off of my hands Naruto," she grinned.

"Not like I had a choice in the matter..." the boy mumbled in response.

Shortly after they had their exercise with Kakashi, Zero Two took it upon herself to move in with him. At the time, it had been a bit much for him to process in the moment. He had his reservations at first, considering he'd lived alone his entire life. Even with Zero Two entering his life once more, he still wasn't used to the idea of having someone else around. And regularly at that.

 _"I'm here now and I promise to never leave your side ever again."_

But Zero Two's words always came back to him these days. She was a sun of compassion; evaporating the darkness that had previously shrouded his life. Just seeing the excitement in her eyes as she lamented over having to pack all of her things, he found it impossible to deny her request. To her credit, she had taken those words to heart. They did just about everything together: eating, training, missions, and even sharing the same bed, chastely speaking that is. The only time in the day he found himself away from his excitable girlfriend was in the shower. She had her gripes of course, but respected his wishes nonetheless.

Naruto felt a sudden weight fall on his back and his vision was muddled by a curtain of pink tresses. "Let's go Darling. We have to hurry so we don't miss the new episode of All My Love!" Zero Two proclaimed.

"Ehh?! But I hate that show..." Naruto groaned.

"And what's wrong with it?" the rosette huffed.

"It's so cheesy, lame, and highly predictable. Not to mention boring y'know," the blond presented his case.

"You're boring!"

"And yet you still stick around so I'll take that as a wi-OW!"

Naruto flinched from the sudden knock to his head. _'And here I thought **I** was childish...'_ he mentally grumbled. The sound of laughter caught his ear and he turned to see Yugao shaking her head at them.

"It's like she fancies herself a princess or something."

"I _am_ as far as he's concerned," Zero Two smiled brightly.

"Yeah a spoiled one..." Naruto mumbled.

"You say something Darling~?"

"Nothing at all _Hime~sama_ ," the blond rolled his eyes. "And thanks again for today Yugao-nee. I'll be sure to keep practicing while we're away," he expressed his gratitude to the cat ANBU.

I told you before Naruto-kun, it's no trouble at all to help a promising youth," she offered a soft smile in return. "Zero Two, on the other hand, is a different story. Don't let her work you to death. She can be high maintenance after all."

"I am **_not_** high maintenance y'know!" the aforementioned rosette barked.

"We'll be on our way now. I have to pack and she has a show to catch," Naruto waved before walking away, carrying away an irate Zero Two with him.

"Neh, neh, you don't think that of me right Darling?"

"Whaaaaaat...? Of course not. I wouldn't trade you for anything in the world."

"You mean really mean that?"

"Except maybe a lifetime supply of Ramen..."

Daaahling~!"

"OW! I'm going to drop you if you keep pulling my hair Zero Two!"

Yugao shook her head in amusement once more as the duo disappeared into the thicket. "Now to go track down my own noble steed," she giggled as she leapt away in the direction of the village.

* * *

A tired sigh escape Sakura as she approached the large, towering wooden doors that compromised the village's main gate. She hadn't gotten much sleep last night due to the welling excitement of finally going on an actual mission, and one outside the village at that. This would be the first time she had ever left the confines of her home and she could wait to see the outside world.

As she approached the gate, she noticed Sasuke reclining against the outer wall of the guard shack nearby. He had a pack slung over his shoulder and his sword was securely fastened to his backside. With the way is arms were folded across his chest and his head being hung low, one would easily think the young Uchiha to be fast asleep rather than brooding.

"Good morning Sasuke-kun," she greeted with a wave. The raven-haired boy merely glanced in her direction and acknowledge her presence with a nod. She heard a loud commotion behind her and was startled when Zero Two slid past her, kicking up a small cloud of dust.

"Ha! I win Darling. That makes three times in a row~!" She beamed.

Naruto came stumbling into view seconds later, an irate expression etched onto his features. "That's because you pulled my tail again!"

"All's fair in love in war~!" Zero Two sang saccharinely with a wave of of her finger.

Sakura couldn't help but giggle at their antics. Over the last month, she'd become more...cordial with her fellow pink-haired teammate. After getting to know her a little better, Sakura realized she had the older girl figured out all wrong. To her, Zero Two was a...complex creature.

She certainly was cheerful, very strong-willed, and a bit of a tomboy. But she was also extremely brash and childish. She had a knack for teasing, though it was usually Naruto that suffered the brunt of her tormenting. She also noticed Zero Two had quite the sweet tooth. The girl was never without a box of pocky on her person and she had a habitual practice of pouring unprecedented amounts of honey on her food. She also elected to eat with her hands rather than use cutlery like a civilized person. But best of all, she wasn't like most girls in the village who were enamored with the last living Uchiha. Zero Two only had eyes for their fellow knuckle-headed, blond teammate.

"Hi guys. Another exciting morning I see," Sakura addressed the energetic couple.

"Oh, hey Pinky," Zero Two spoke. "Darling is just being a sore loser is all."

"You _pulled_...my _tail!_ " Naruto pointed an accusatory finger. "It's not a toy!"

"Well...that was payback for eating all of my pocky!"

"You threw away my ramen!"

"...you said my show was stupid.."

"It _is!_ "

Sakura found it difficult stifling a laugh at the blond's expense. It had come as a jaw-dropping surprise to everyone that Naruto's tail was in fact real, and not a cheap fashion accessory. Apparently, it was a birth defect from one of his parent's bloodline limits, which he failed to inherit, and he'd been hiding it under an illusion all these times. That was of course until Zero Two came into the picture. As annoying, and to quote Shikamaru: troublesome as Naruto was, Even she had to admit that his furry appendage was kind of cute. She often wondered what Sasuke would look like if he had one...

"Ah, my cute little genin," a voice suddenly called out suddenly. The four teens' attention was immediately turned to see Kakashi approaching the gate. Walking at his side was a grey-haired, bespectacled man with a large beard and dark eyes. He wore a sleeveless v-neck shirt with an obi, pants and a pair of sandals. He also carried a towel around his neck and wore a pointed hat on his head. As they drew closer, Kakashi noticed that his charges we're all staring at him with incredulous expressions. "What? Is there something on my face?"

"Who...who are you?" Sakura questioned.

"Your sensei..." Kakashi's lone visible eyebrow rose in confusion.

"Nooo...you're here on time. Kakashi-sensei is _always_ late," Naruto countered. In the last month they had spent under his command, there wasn't a single time the scarecrow man had ever shown up on time.

"The loser makes a valid point," Sasuke added.

"What kind of freaky genjutsu is this...?" Zero Two blinked in surprise. This might've been up there with those two green spandex-wearing freaks and that creepy sunset of theirs. The thought alone made her shudder.

Kakashi could only shake his head with a sigh. "Very funny guys. But even I know when to be punctual. But that's besides the point. I'd like to introduce you to our client. This is Tazuna-san and he's placed his life in our capable hands."

"Capable?" the man snorted. "This is the protection I paid for? They look more like snot-nosed brats rather than ninjas. Especially the blond one with the stupid look on his face." The youths narrowed their eyes at the elderly man while Naruto's eye twitched.

"Hey gramps...these fists don't discriminate based on age y'know," the blond took a step forward,cracking his knuckles. He only made it so far before being stopped by Zero Two, who pulled him into a gentle embrace.

"Now, now Darling...even if they _are_ an ornery old fart, we're not allowed to beat up clients," she patted his back reassuringly.

"Thank you Zero Two. Took the words right out of my mouth," Kakashi nodded, appreciative that she was being the voice of reason for a change.

"At least not while we're still under contract."

 _'I take it back. I should've known better...'_

"Whatever, just get me back to my village. The sooner, the better," Tazuna grunted as he produced a small metal flask and took a sip from it. Feeling the tension in the air, Kakashi could only sigh inwardly as they prepared to set out.

 _'I already have a bad feeling about this'_

* * *

The sun sat lazily on its perch in the sky, bearing down heat on the expansive timberland below that stretched across the landscape. Team Seven was currently trekking down a secluded road that would take them to a port on the eastern coast. From there, they would charter a small boat that would ferry them to the small island that made up the Wave Country.

Sakura and Zero Two were leading the group, walking just a few paces ahead of Kakashi and Tazuna while Naruto and Sasuke trailed behind them. Kakashi has decided on this formation to provide the best coverage and protection of their target in the event of an attack. He purposely kept Naruto and Zero Two seperated so that they wouldn't be distracted. He had expected the latter to voice her displeasure with his decision but she surprisingly accepted the assignment without question.

Sakura mentally noted that they had been traveling mostly in silence for a few hours now, save for Naruto and Sasuke conversing amongst themselves in the rear. Though by now they just seemed to be bickering about something or another. Again.

She cast a sidelong glance at Zero Two, who was being uncharacteristically quiet. She was suckling on a lollipop with her hand clapped behind her head as she walked. Taking in the older girl's traits, Sakura could see why Naruto had fallen for the rosette. Even she could admit the horned-girl was quite pretty, just never out loud. She had this alluring, yet dangerous aura about her.

"It's not nice to stare y'know," Zero Two suddenly spoke, making the younger girl flinch.

"Oh! S-Sorry, I didn't mean to!" Sakura quickly waved her hands defensively. "It's just...something has been bothering me for a while."

"Hm?" Zero Two's Head craned ever so slightly to look at Sakura, one of her eyebrows rising tentatively.

"Well...you and Naruto seem to be awfully close yet...no one's ever heard of or seen you before the day we we're all placed on teams. It just seemed weird to me is all, considering Naruto is the bragging type after all. He never gave any indication during school that he had a girlfriend," Sakura construed her thoughts aloud.

"Ah...Darling and I have been separated from some time now due to...complications," Zero Two responded.

Sakura noticed her tone had lost its normal whimsical vigor. Her beryl eyes dulled considerably, drains of their usual luster. 'Wow...she seems so sad all of a sudden,' Sakura thought to herself with wide eyes. She honestly didn't think the rosette was capable of feeling such a thing with her constant upbeat disposition and all. But the abrupt display of emotion evaporated just as fast as it came and a smile found its way to Zero Two's face.

"But everything has finally been worked out. And now, I'll never have to leave his side again." She spoke earnestly.

"Sounds like...you really love him huh?" Sakura inquired.

"But of course! Darling is my everything," Zero Two replied, speaking as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"It's just...Naruto was the last person I expected to be dating anyone," Sakura admittedly truthfully. "He's rather loud, obnoxious, and a bit of a blockhead at times."

"Yes, but he's _my_ blockhead," Zero Two grinned, gesturing to herself. "Which is a lot more than most other girls our age could say," she said as she caught sight of a puddle down the road. _'Odd...doesn't smell like it's rained around here in days,'_

"I guess you have a point..." Sakura mused as she gazed over her shoulder, sneaking a glance at the two boys walking further back. Naruto was waving his hands over his head erratically while Sasuke was pinching the bridge of his nose. "Naruto and Sasuke seem to be on better terms now, compared to the first day at least. I wonder what they're arguing about now."

Zero Two spared a glance at the duo before waving her hand dismissively. "They're boys. It's probably something stupid."

"Ok, the Sharingan can see chakra. The Byakugan can see chakra. They're basically the same!" Naruto exclaimed.

"Only a simpleton would come to that conclusion," Sasuke chastised the blonde. Even after explaining the difference between the two dojutsu multiple times, he still wasn't comprehending the subject.

"Oi! All I'm saying is that Uchiha and Hyūga could be related," Naruto argued. "For all you know, both eyes could've came from the same place."

"God you're an idiot..."

"Someone is in denial."

"You're annoying!"

"And you're grouchy!"

"Girls, girls, you're both pretty," Kakashi sighed in annoyance. In response, Naruto shouted out obscenities while Sasuke let out a low growl. No matter what, those two always find the energy to argue he noticed. He couldn't help but smile at the acute similarities between them and himself and his old teammate. _'This is karma isn't it Minato-sensei?'_

Ignorant of his surroundings, Kakashi was caught by surprise when the large puddle beneath his feet exploded. In a flash of movement, the ashen-haired jōnin found himself bound tightly in a shuriken-laced chain. "Eh?!"

"Tch...too easy!" A voice growled out from the shadows. The chain binding Kakashi suddenly constricted, shredding the man almost instantly. The three genin and Tazuna starred in horror at the piles of meat scraps that once made up Kakashi.

"Down goes the first one!"

A man burst out from the bushes charging madly at Zero Two. He had wild, shoulder-length black hair and equally dark eyes. He was clad in a camouflage suit with bandages around his waist and navy knee-length sandals covering his feet. His waist line was littered with pouches and his left arm was covered by a metal gauntlet. The lower half of his face was hidden beneath a rebreather mask and his Mist headband had 2 distinct horn on both sides of the metal plate.

Another man emerged from the bushes on the opposite side of the road. He bore a similar appearance to the first man, only his hair was straightened, he had a metal gauntlet attached to his right arm and his headband only bore a single horn. Both gauntlets were linked by the shuriken chain, which was rapidly enclosing around the rosette.

 _'Ohhh? They have fake little horns. How tacky,'_ the teal-eyed girl smirked as she settled into a stance, eager to break off the faux extremities.

"And now for the second!" The more bullish of the duo exclaimed.

Zero Two was grinning as she waited for the opportune moment to counterattack when the man was sent reeling away in an unruly spiral. Her eyes widened briefly when Naruto phased into existence at her side. His eyes narrowed dangerously as he cracked his knuckles.

"That wasn't very nice y'know."

The second man was caught by surprise at seeing his partner be knocked away so easily. There was another flash of movement and he felt the tension of the chain attached to his vambrace go slack and a quick glance confirmed it had been severed. Sasuke appeared in front of the man, his Sharingan spinning to life.

"Who are you?"

The first man righted himself with a flip and slid to a stop as he landed on the ground. He immediately noticed that the chain had been broken and leveled a glare at the blond jinchuriki. "You'll pay for that brat!"

"Not as much as you will for attacking my girl," Naruto retorted, taking a step forward. "You've brought upon yourself." Zero Two flushed slightly and her heart fluttered at his words, earning a bright smile from the girl.

"If I'm not mistaken, those are the Demon Brothers of of the Hidden Mist, Gozu and Meizu," Zero Two called out. She recognized them from latest Bingo Book. They were rogue chūnin well known for their coordinated attack style. Zero Two's nose crinkled in disgust as her eyes fell on the duo. "Careful not to let them scratch you Darling. Those claws are laced with poison."

"Thanks for the heads up," Naruto replied, tightening his headband. "You and Sakura, look after the old man. We'll handle this."

"Tch, as if you could keep up," Sasuke chided as he drew his sword.

"You're the one that's gonna get left behind," Naruto shot back before settling into a stance. He was still lacking in practical experience when it came to using a sword in actual combat so he elected not to draw his own.

"Please be careful you guys!" Sakura urged from afar.

Gozu released the broken chain from his gauntlet before rushing to his brother's side. "We got the leader already so let's just finish this up quickly. The only thing standing between us and the target is a bunch of kids," he spoke in a low tone.

"Fine by me, but the blonde one is mine!" Meizu growled as he ejected the chain from his gauntlet as well.

He immediately sprang towards Naruto and lashed out with the claws of his metallic gage. Naruto easily sidestepped the wild blow and retaliated with a roundhouse that sent the older man tumbling backwards. Gozu launched a volley of kunai at Sasuke but a quick flourish of his sword batted them away with ease. The raven-haired Uchiha spun his blade in his hand once more before rushing down his opponent.

Zero Two swelled with pride as she watched the fight play out before her eyes. Thanks to his shadow clone training, Naruto had come a long way with his taijutsu. He was wasn't the best by any means, nor the fastest, and still tended to slink back into his "brawler" ethos at times. But at least now his attacks were concentrated and concise, rather than wild and haphazard.

She watched on alongside Sakura, who was standing in front of Tazuna, kunai in hand. Zero Two had half-a-mind to summon Strelitzia but decided to let her beloved have his fun. He busy trying to be her shining, white knight at the moment.

"Stand still you little brat and just die already!" Meizu barked. He was slashing ferociously at Naruto with his claws and a kunai, who managed to evade each and everyone of his attacks.

"Thanks, but no thanks. Zero Two would kill me for sure if I did that," The blond quipped. Noticing that his opponent had overextended on his most recent attack, Naruto brought up both hands and grabbed Meizu by the back of his head. "And what's with these fake horns?" With a small hop, Naruto drove his knee in to Meizu's face, knocking off the the small metal shards affixed to his headband. "They're so tacky."

The Mist-nin was sent crashing into a nearby tree where his body slumped to the ground. His ears rang and the taste of iron quickly flooded his mouth as he tried to regain his wits. He was so discombobulated that he was now seeing three blond brats standing over him instead of just one.

"Remember, you brought this upon yourself," the middle one sneered.

Gozu's Head turned sharply at the sound of his brother's pained cries. Sasuke capitalized on the momentary lapse in concentration and tore through the side of the man's head with his blade. There was a soft squelch and blood splattered across the ground before Gozu's body went up in smoke, causing a thick log to fall to the ground in his place.

Sasuke clicked his teeth when he saw the mist-nin reappear a few meters away. Gozu held his hand to his face in an effort to keep his face from hemorrhaging. He'd just barely escaped death but at the cost of an eye. He ground his teeth when caught sight of the three blonds savagely beating his older brother into the dirt. And now the damned brat with the red eyes was closing in on him once more.

 _'Damn it, his was supposed to be an easy mission! These brats have ruined everything!'_ As Sasuke drew closer, desperation began to instill itself within the younger twin. Throwing all caution to the wind, Gozu shot forward suddenly in one final act of foolhardiness. He knocked aside the blade aimed at his heart, catching Sasuke by surprise with his speed and immediately made a beeline for Naruto. It was simple really: he just had to incapacitate the blond one, grab his brother, then flee. They would be much too busy troubling themselves over the boy's health to even think about giving chase. Or so he hoped at least. Rapidly approaching the distracted Naruto, Gozu poised his ironclad arm to strike. "I'll make you suffer for what you did to my brother you punk!" he roared.

"I think not."

Before he could react, Gozu's charge was halt by a rod striking his torso. The impacted lifted him off his feet and purged the what little air remained in his lungs. Not missing a beat, Zero Two spun Strelitzia in her hand and slammed the tail end into Gozu's back, forcing the younger twin back to the ground in a small crater.

Zero Two's eyes flashed red as she stared frostily at his unmoving form. "You won't lay a finger on my Darling."

"I can handle myself y'know," a voice spoke up. Naruto slowly approached the rosette, dragging an unconscious Meizu by the back of his shirt. "I saw him coming from a mile away. I'm surprised he bested the great Uchiha Sasuke-sama," he said mockingly.

Zero Two smirked but before Sasuke could retort, Kakashi flashed into existence between them. "Nicely done team."

"About time you showed your face Kakashi-sensei," Naruto huffed.

"I wanted to see how you would react in an actual combat setting against hostile opponents. The enemy was suppressed and our target is unharmed. All in all, you guys handled yourself rather well," he commended his charges.

"Yeah well these guys weren't nearly as tough as they looked," The blond shrugged as he dropped Meizu's battered form. "What was that about anyway? I thought we only had to worry about bandits."

"You know Naruto, I was just thinking the same thing. These guys are chūnin from the Hidden Mist, a village known for continuing the fight no matter what the sacrifice."

"If you knew that then why did you leave my life in the hands of these kids!" Tazuna all but snapped. He gulped when Kakashi's hardened gaze fell on him.

"Like I said, I wanted to see how my team would react in such a situation. Those _kids_ performed excellently, especially the blonde one with the "stupid look on his face."

"Hey!"

"But...I also had to determine who their true target was."

Buy now the elderly man was starting to sweat. "What do you mean?

"Simply put, I wanted to see if they were after you or one of us shinobi. You requested backup protection until you finished building your bridge and we're responsible for protecting you against thieves, gangs, and the like. Had it been known other ninjas were involved, this would've been assigned as an expensive B rank mission."

"And yet we're only getting paid for a C-rank mission," Zero Two commented nonchalantly as she tapped a finger against her chin in a derisive manner. "How odd...

Ignoring the remark, Kakashi continued. "It appears there's some kind of good reason for this, but lying on a mission request simply won't do. Something like this might be beyond the scope of our original mission."

"Oh come on Kakashi-sensei! Those guys were no trouble at all. Sasuke is the one that let his man get away." Naruto exclaimed.

"Oh _fuck off!_ "

"Well you _did!_ "

"What are we going to do now Kakashi-sensei?" Sakura queried, completely ignoring their squabbling.

Toning out the boys' bickering, Kakashi began thinking to himself. _'It's true that they did well this time. But whoever it is that hired those two will most likely send an elite level jōnin next time. Could they honestly be ready for something like this...?'_

-irt beneath my feet Uzumaki!"

"That a fact?!"

 _ **SMACK!**_

A quick slap to the head courtesy of their sensei was enough to silence the argumentative teens. Kakashi cleared his thought before speaking. "Considering the circumstances Tazuna-san, it is well within my right to call off this mission and return back to the village with my students." Naruto went to speak up only to be halted by a stern gaze from the ashen-haired man. "Whether or not that happens depends on you. We need to know exactly what or who it is we're protecting you from. This contract won't work without trust between both parties."

"It would seem...I have no choice but to tell you," The seasoned mason could only sigh in defeat. The cat was out of the bag now, not that they wouldn't have found out sooner or later. He was just hoping that they could've have at least made it back to the village first. "You may be right Kakashi-san. This might be beyond the scope of your original mission..."


	9. 009

009

* * *

"Holy shit it's huge!"

"Hehe...that's what she sa-OW!"

Zero Two and Naruto winced from the sudden blows to their respective heads. The rosette whirled around and leveled a glare at the offending scarecrow, who held a rolled up newspaper in his hand.

"Naruto, keep it down. We'll be detected in no time if you scream out like that," Kakashi admonished before turning to Zero Two, not flinching in the slightest at the spiteful look being directed at him. "And you stop enabling him."

"Honestly, where do you guys get the energy," Sakura chuckled to herself as she shook her head at the excitable couple. Sasuke merely scoffed at their antics and kept his eyes trained forward, scanning for any assailants hidden in the mist.

Currently, Team Seven was occupying a small raft bound for the Land of Waves. The small nation resided entirely on one island so they had to travel there by way of boat. The heavy fog that drifted about just above the surface of the river acted as a smokescreen to mask their approach.

They had just happened upon Tazuna's latest project, to which Naruto couldn't help but gawk at. The massive bridge towered over the water's surface and if he had to guess it was nearly as wide as their training ground. It was rather hard to believe the construct was barely a quarter of the way finished.

As it turns out, a shipping magnate by the name of Gatō was responsible for putting the hit out on Tazuna. By using his company as a front, he began smuggling in all kinds of contraband and even trafficked drugs. He took control of the Waves' shipping routes and for the last year, had created a monopoly by isolating the country from the outside world, preventing free sea-freighting and turning it into an impoverished, hunger-stricken country in the process.

It was then Tazuna resolved himself to build the bridge. If Wave Country was reconnected to the mainland, the economy would stabilize, bringing wealth and prosperity to the indigent nation once more. That of course didn't sit too well with Gatō, who put out a bounty on the elderly man. It was then Tazuna sought out the Hidden Leaf for protection. Unfortunately, Wave Country was so poor that even the Daimyo himself was left penniless. Lacking the proper funds, Tazuna was forced to hire Team Seven under the false pretense of protecting him from bandits, which would indeed have made it a C-rank mission. Kakashi had decided to sympathize with the bridge builder and agreed to continue the mission, stating that proper payment could be worked out at a later date.

"Tazuna-san, it appears we've gone unnoticed thanks to the fog. We'll be arriving in town shortly," The boatman said in a hushed tone.

"Ah I see. Thanks again," the elderly man nodded.

"Alright team," Kakashi spoke up, drawing the attention of his charges. "We're entering into dangerous, unknown territory. It's our job to get Tazuna-san back home safe and sound, preferably in one piece. Any questions, comments, or concerns?"

Naruto's hand immediately shot up.

"That isn't trivial in nature."

Naruto's hand slowly returned to his side.

"Good. Be sure to have your eyes peeled and keep your head on a swivel out there. You never know when the enemy will attack again."

* * *

"Ha!" Naruto suddenly exclaimed a he brandished a kunai from his holster. "It's no use hiding!"

He launched the knife into a nearby bush, startling the group. It sank into the trunk of a tree with a dull thud and the blond carefully moved closer to inspect his handiwork. At the base of the tree was a small white rabbit that was trembling in fear, the kunai having just barely missed its head. "Wait what?"

The blond was swiftly rewarded with another swat, courtesy of his sensei. "Don't go getting everyone's nerves worked up unnecessarily. We're all on edge enough as is."

"I'm not! There really was someone there y'know!" Naruto whined as he rubbed the sore spot on his head.

Ignoring the boy's cries, Kakashi's gaze fell on the small creature. _'That's a snow rabbit...but their fur only turns white in the winter when there's little sunlight,'_ he analyzed. His lone visible eye began to slowly scan the surrounding shrubbery. _'That can only mean it was raised indoors without sunlight, more than likely to be used as a substitution. Guess that means they're already here...'_

"You're the worst Darling. Scared the poor thing half to death," Zero Two teased.

"I didn't mean to! But I'm not lying, there really was somebody over there y'know!" Naruto insisted as he tried his best to comfort the frightened rabbit.

"Yes, yes, I'm sure th-" Zero Two's breath hitched when she noticed a large metal object hurtling torwards the group and breakneck speeds. "EVERYBODY DOWN!"

"Hu-" Naruto grunted as the rosette suddenly shot forward and tackled him to the ground. Sakura emulated the impromptu maneuver with Tazuna while Kakashi and Sasuke we're quick to jump out of harm's way. Naruto quickly overcame his sense of vertigo and glanced down at the bundle of pink hair covering his chest. "Thanks, I really owe you one."

"You owe me quite a few Darling," Zero Two quipped. "But we're not out of the woods yet," she said grimly before glancing over her shoulder. Naruto followed her gaze and his eyes widened in shock. Embedded in the trunk of a tree was a large broadsword shaped like a butcher knife. It was as long as a full-grown man was tall and had two distinct cut outs on the blade: a circle close to the top and a semi-circular one near to the base. There was flash of movement and a figure appeared on the handle, which was nearly half the blade's length.

It was a tall, muscular man with light grayish skin, and short spiky black hair. Like Kakashi, the lower half of his face was completely covered, only with bandages and he wore headband sideways on his head at an odd angle. He was shirtless save for a black belt that was wrapped around his torso. He was wearing striped, baggy grey pants and mimetic wrist-warmers extending up to his elbows with matching leg-warmers.

"Now I see why the Demon Brothers failed to return. The infamous Copy Ninja Kakashi, in the flesh," the man spoke.

Kakashi stepped forward bearing a somber expression. _'I recognize that sword. Which could only mean...'_

"Oi, you know this eyebrow-less freak Kakashi-sensei?" Naruto queried as he helped Zero Two to her feet.

The man's eyes narrowed at the young blond. "To think you would be dragging around a pack of brats with you."

"Who you callin-"

Naruto fell silent when Kakashi held up his hand and his stern expression to the boy to remain so. "As I live and breath, the one and only Momochi Zabuza. This was the last place I expected to run into the Demon of the Hidden Mist. Last I heard you were a missing-nin," Kakashi said cooly.

"Yeah that tends to happen when you make an attempt on the Kage's life. Shame we fell just short," Zabuza replied with a shrug. "But enough with the pleasantries. Hand over the builder so I can be on my way already."

"No can do I'm afraid. My team and I were hired to escort Tazuna-san home and keep him safe from harm." Kakashi rebutted.

"Is that so?" Zabuza chortled. "And to think I was hired to make sure he never returned. Alive that is."

"Then it would seem we're at an impasse."

"Not for long."

Kakashi watched as the large man began to roll his shoulders. It seemed that there would be absolutely no escaping this fight. "You guys form up around Tazuna. And no matter what, do not interfere."

"Oh come on Kakashi-sensei! This'll be over in no time if we all work together y'know!" Naruto protested.

"You had best listen to your teacher boy," Zabuza grinned, making the blond go rigid. "I have no time for little brats pretending to be ninjas."

Naruto felt his blood run cold as Zabuza stared down at him. His gaze was intense and he gave off a sinister aura, none like he'd ever felt before. _'Just who is this guy...?'_

 _'Seems I have no other option than to use this,'_ Kakashi thought solemnly as he stepped forward and lifted his head band. The Sharingan embedded in his left eye began to shimmer as it spun to life. "I'll be your opponent Zabuza."

"Oh? Already using the Sharingan I see. You honor me," Zabuza chuckled with a slight bow. His words made Sasuke freeze.

 _'What?! That's not possible!'_

His sensei turned to face them, confirming the rogue man's words. "This guy is dangerous. Don't let your guards down." Gone was his usual aloof demeanor, replaced by an air of staidness. It was the most serious they had ever seen the silver-haired man since meeting him, even more so than during the bell test.

"Is that so?" Zabuza smirked. He suddenly flashed with his sword, putting the group of leaf nins on edge. He reappeared moments later standing atop the surface of a river that ran parallel to the road. He had one hand drawn close to his chest with the other extended high above his head.

"We'll see about that. **_Ninja Art: Hidden Mist Jutsu_**."

Zabuza faded from sight as a heavy mist rolled into the area. It converged around the Leaf-nins, who all took up defensive stances. The fog grew so thick that visibility became nigh impossible.

"Damn it I can't see a thing y'know!" Naruto exclaimed.

"Eight spots..." a disembodied voice echoed around them. "Larynx, spine, lungs, liver, jugular, subclavian veins, kidneys, and heart...they all seem equally promising."

"Eyes up!" Kakashi warmed, flaring his chakra. The watery haze dispersed immediately but Zabuza was still nowhere to be seen. "He's a master of the Silent Killing technique."

The four genin quickly formed up around the defenseless Tazuna with Naruto standing on point. "Tch...it'll take more than this to scare me y'know!"

Beneath his brave facade, he was filled with a sudden sense of dread. _'This is bad! He could easily pick us off one by one before we even noticed.'_ The blond was quick to shake such foreboding thoughts from his head. No matter how scared he may have been, now was not the time to lose focus. A moment's hesitation could mean the difference between life and death in this situation. But he felt himself suddenly freeze up when a presence suddenly appeared behind him.

"Guess I'll just kill you first then."

Using the cover of the mist, Zabuza landed in the middle of their formation with his sword poised to strike. A smirk passed across his features as we watched the blond's eyes widen in fear. Not giving the boy a chance to react, he brought his massive blade down on top of a startled Naruto.

Kakashi flickered just behind his student and pushed him away before intercepting the blow with a kunai, much to Zabuza's surprise. "I said you'll be facing me," he narrowed his eyes at the tall man.

"Oh I haven't forgotten about you Kakashi," the Mist-nin grinned. The jōnin's eyes went wide when Zabuza's body liquified and fell to the ground in a soupy puddle.

"Now die!"

Kakashi's face went blank as his body was torn in half. Zabuza was behind him wielding his sword with a satisfied expression. It quickly morphed into one of shock when he saw his prey dissolve into a plash of water. _'Don't tell me...even with the mist, he actually managed to copy my water clone?!'_

"Give it up Zabuza," The real Kakashi reappeared behind the swordsman. He had a kunai aimed at the back of his head. "It's over!"

"Wow...that was pretty awesome Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto gawked.

"Very clever Kakashi. Your reputation precedes you," Zabuza smirked. "But it's not enough!" He went for a sweep kick, making the silver-haired man jump back. He shot forward in a burst of speed and caught Kakashi by surprise with a strong frontal kick to the chest. The Copy-nin grunted as he was sent flying towards the nearby river.

Kakashi landed in the water with a splash but was quick to resurface. _'What's up with this water? It's so heavy,'_ he thought as he struggled to stay afloat.

 _ **"Water Prison Jutsu!"**_

Shock registered on Kakashi's face as he found himself suddenly encapsulated in an orb of water. A menacing chortled reached his ears and he looked up to see Zabuza standing above him with his right arm reaching into the sphere.

"Looks like I've caught you. This special prison keeps you from moving so escape is impossible. We can settle our matter later." His attention turned to the younger ninjas, who were still shaken from the sudden turn of events. "But first, I'll take care of your little brats. **_Water Clone Jutsu!_** "

Zabuza formed a sign with his free hand and the water began to stir next to him. It rose up and slowly took on a humanoid shape, forming an exact replica of Zabuza.

 _'Crap...He's even more skilled than I thought,'_ Kakashi ground his teeth in frustration. "You four, take Tazuna an get out of here!" He yelled at his team.

"W-What...?" Sakura squeaked.

"Our mission is to protect Tazuna-san. With him holding me here, he can't move either and he can only control his water clone from so far away." He quickly explained, making jailer snort in annoyance. "So take Tazuna-san and run away as far as possible!"

"No can do can do Kakashi-sensei," Naruto riposted.

"Damn it Naruto now is not the time for this! I gave you an order!" The silver-haired man commanded.

"But...it was a stupid one y'know."

"Besides..." Zero Two spoke up. "Wasn't it you who said that those who break the rules are trash, but anyone who abandons a comrade is worse than that?"

 _'Of course! She chooses **now** of all times to take my words to heart!'_

"That option was taken off the table from the moment you got captured anyway," Sasuke said as he drew his sword. Even if they did manage to get away, it was only a matter of time before Zabuza disposed of Kakashi and hunted them down. The only choice they had now was to free their sensei. And once they did he would be sure to interrogate Kakashi about that Sharingan in his left eye.

"Sorry old man," Naruto said, sparring a glance over his shoulder. "You'll just have to bear with us for a moment while we take care of No-Brows over there."

"Well it's not like I have many options right now," Tazuna chuckled nervously. Despite what he said before about them all being brats, he had come to admire their tenacity. "Make sure you give'em hell!"

"Man I'm really starting to get fired up now," Zero Two grinned as she hit her thumb. "Strelitzia!" The Rosetta's ornate weapon appeared in a flash of brilliance and fell into her hand.

"Sakura, take the old man and hide out of sight." Naruto said as he drew his own sword. It was a ninjato that Yugao once wielded in her younger years after she first joined the ANBU. With him being her first and only student, she has insisted on passing it down to the young blond.

"You don't have to tell me twice," Sakura said as she placed a hand on Tazuna's shoulder. One of the first things she had realized after the formation of their team was that she was severely lacking in combat prowess compared to her fellow teammates. She just didn't have the same instinct for battle like them quite yet, but she was slowly getting there with a little help from Zero Two. "You guys be careful out there. If either of you die, I'll kill you myself!"

"Yeah, yeah whatever you say Pinky," Zero Two grinned. "Just be sure not to get caught in the crossfire."

The pinkette sighed, finally coming to terms with nickname assigned to her by the older girl as she formed the tiger sign with her hands. **_"Chameleon Jutsu!"_** Both Sakura and Tazuna seemed to phase out of sight and their presences were completely erased.

In her spare time, Sakura liked to visit the library from time to time and she had even more so of a reason now that she was a full-fledged shinobi. Now she was allowed access to the restricted Shinobi section which was filled with all kinds of scrolls containing various techniques. The chameleon jutsu was one such that she had learned and it was fairly easy to pick up given her exceptional chakra control. It allows the user to control how light is reflected around their body with chakra inflections. It supposedly technique also erased the user's scent as well. The only downside was that her reserves of chakra were rather small so she could only maintain the technique for roughly ten minutes.

When she could no longer sense either of them, Zero Two turned to face Zabuza. "You, the browless one," she spun her glaive, pointing it at him. "Cough up the Scarecrow. We can't get paid without him."

 _'Wow...just wow. At least something has her motivated,'_ Kakashi faulted. It was a customary rule that money earned from missions was not to be given out until a report was delivered by the mission leader, whether it be written or verbally.

"Tch...still playing a being ninja. What a joke," the clone snorted. "You can't be considered a real ninja until you walk the fine line between life and death on a regular basis," it said as a heavy fog crept into the area. The three teens all stood with their back to one another, each scanning the watery haze for any sign of the missing-nin. Naruto suddenly found himself flying backwards and slammed into a tree. "You're just a bunch a good for nothing brats!" The clone phased into sight.

"Darling!"

Zero Two rounded on the man, lashing out with her spear. The clone sidestepped the attack, tripping the girl with a low kick as it did. Sasuke's own charge was halted by the rosette crashing into him and both teens were sent tumbling to the ground.

The clone suddenly jumped away, dodging a hail of shuriken. Naruto fell from the sky bringing down his sword on the clone's head. But it was easily deflected when the doppelgänger drew its own sword in a quick, fluid motion.

"You fancy yourself a swordsman boy?" The clone grunted.

"Something like that," Naruto chuckled nervously, doing his best to ignore the jitters racing up his spine.

"You stand before one of the Seven Swordsman of the Hidden Mist, wielder of Kubikiribōchō. I will show you true despair."

Naruto twirled the short blade in his hand before charging forward. "I'll show you what happens when you underestimate me!" The one blond became eight and converged on Zabuza's double. Half of Naruto's shadow clones were decimated in an instant by the massive, Zweihänder-type sword, causing smoke to cloud the air from their dispersion. Sasuke burst forth from the smog with his blade poised to strike. The real Naruto circled around from behind, closing in for a pincer attack.

The genin were caught off guard when the clone spun in place, using Kubikiribōchō to generate a strong whirlwind around itself that knocked the boys away. It's eyes locked into the still recovering Naruto and grinned maliciously.

"Time to die!"

The clone began winding up a sweeping slash to cleave the defense blond in half only for the sword's momentum to halt unexpectedly. It's head swiveled and caught sight of a tall glaive embedded in the dirt. It was caught in the circular hollow near the tip of Kubikiribōchō's blade, locking the giant sword in place.

"What the-"

"Know your place!" Zero Two barked as she drove her foot into the clone's side and sent it reeling.

 _ **"Fire Style: Fireball jutsu!"**_

The clone quickly righted itself and an expression of shock crossed its features upon spotting a thunderous ball of flames barreling towards him. "Ha! You brats got spunk! _**Water Style: Water Formation Wall!**_ " Water surged forth from the river and erected a barricade that intercepted the mass of flames, permeating the road with a fog of steam.

"Shit...this guy is the real deal," Naruto spat out a glob of blood.

"He's strong and even with that giant sword, he's incredibly very fast," Zero Two said. He swung Kubikiribōchō with ease, as if it were lighter than a feather.

"And that's just his clone," Sasuke muttered. "We have to find a way to get Kakashi-sensei out of that bubble."

"The Scarecrow said he had to stay there in order maintain his jutsu. So we just have to make No-Brows move. The question is how..." Zero Two pondered. Even if it was just a clone, it was just as strong as the original and it would undoubtedly thwart any attempt they made on the man's real body.

"I've got it!" Naruto exclaimed with a snap of his fingers. He threw his arms around his companions' shoulders and drew them close into a small huddle. "Ok so remember how during the bell test..."

* * *

"I must hand it to you Kakashi. That's an interesting group of brats you have there," Zabuza smirked. "I'm surprised they're still alive."

"Oh I'm sure they aren't done surprising you yet," The Copy-nin sighed defeatedly. _'Honestly, disobeying a direct order like that.'_ He was flattered that they actually took his words to heart but he didn't want them throwing their lives away just to save him. _'God I hope they don't do anything even more reckless...'_

* * *

"That...actually just might work," Sasuke blinked in surprise.

"Of course it will!" Naruto beamed. "It's my idea after all. I haven't had a bad one yet y'know!"

"Well what about that time-"

"Zero Two please!" Naruto exclaimed as he clamped his hands over her mouth. He was quite flustered and his cheeks had a rosy tint to them. "W-We agreed to never bring that up again!"

"I'm just saying," Zero Two shrugged with a grin. "Only you could think of something so crazy."

"Look, we gotta act fast," Naruto said, eager to change the subject. In his peripherals he watched Zabuza's clone conjure another faux Kubikiribōchō using the heated water particles in the air. "Get into position Zero Two and wait for my signal."

"Roger that Darling~!" The rosette winked before jumping away.

"Alright Sasuke, follow my lead. I'll create an opening."

"Tch...just this once."

The water clone heard an array of cries and turned to face a horde of blonde blitzing their way down the road. "Hn...you're either incredibly brave or incredibly stupid. Fine, come at me!" Naruto and his small army of shadow clones let out a war cry before diving towards the doppelgänger in an effort to trap it beneath their bodies. "How naive!" Gripping the handle with both hands, it swung Kubikiribōchō in a wide arc, generating another shockwave that blasted the drove of blonds away. "Did you really thin-"

 _ **"Demon Wind Shuriken!"**_

Doppelgänger's eyes snapped skyward and spotted Sasuke high in the air. In his hand he held a large, four-bladed collapsible fuma shuriken. With a mighty heave, the Uchiha released the enlarged projectile. It sailed over the doppelgänger's head and made a beeline for Zabuza's real body.

"Attacking me in hopes that'll move my hand. A good strategy," the rogue-nin commented. Zabuza effortlessly snatched the weapon out of the air with a smirk. His eyes soon narrowed when he noticed a second fuma shuriken barreling towards him. _'I see...he hid this one in the shadow of the first one. Clever.'_

With both hands occupied and little time to react, Zabuza did the only thing he could at that moment. As the shuriken drew close, he jumped at the last second and it flew right under him. _'But not clever enough!'_

He heard a distinct popping sound behind him and glanced over his shoulder, eyes bulging in bewilderment. Flying over the surface of the water was a grinning Naruto with a kunai in hand. "I've got you now!" He yelled as he flung the knife at Zabuza's head. Gritting his teeth and letting out an angry snarl, Zabuza used the fuma shuriken and positioned one of the large blades behind his head. The kunai bounced off its surface and was knocked into the air.

"You just don't know when to give up do you?!" Zabuza roared. There was another popping sound just above him which put the swordsman on alert. He lashed out with the giant shuriken only to have his wrist caught.

Naruto was hovering slightly just above Zabuza, tightly holding his free arm in place. "You're right I don't! So you can Just give up..." A streak of crimson flashed through the blonde's eyes as he thrust his foot downward. "On me giving up!" Naruto stomped down on Zabuza's collarbone with great force, causing the strut to snap. The dark-haired man's entire body went limp and his other hand fell to his side, causing the orb of water imprisoning Kakashi to collapse. Without letting up, Naruto used the startled Zabuza's neck as a spring board and pushed himself away. "Now Zero Two!"

Almost immediately, the rosette flashed into existence, sliding to a stop just in front of Zabuza. She had Strelitzia hefted over her shoulder with both hand grasping the base as if it were a club. "Batter Up!" She cried out with a maniacal smile. Mustering ounce of her strength that she could and and even going as far as to channel chakra throughout her arms, Zero Two slammed Strelitzia into Zabuza's chest, striking him with the flat side of its blade. His ribcage shattered with a thunderous crack and the helpless man was sent rocketing across the river like a rag doll. Zabuza's unconscious form slammed into a tree on the other side and clung limply off one of its branches.

"Lets do it Sasuke!"

"Stop ordering me around!"

Both teens began forming hand signs as they took deep breaths.

 _ **"Fire Style: Dragon Flame Bullet!"**_

 _ **"Wind Style: Unrelenting Force!"**_

A large dragon forged of flames roared forth from Sasuke while a hurricane wind erupted from Naruto. the two attacks merged with a mighty roar and blazed across the water towards the comatose Zabuza. Just as the flaming dragon was about to devour its prey, a tall block of ice rose up in front of he tree. The potent fireball slammed into the frozen bulwark, sending water, smoke, and shards of ice everywhere.

"Wait what?" Naruto sputtered.

The Leaf-nin stared cautiously across the river, waiting for the hazy mist to disperse. When it finally did, they noticed that Zabuza's body was nowhere to be seen.

"Did...did we get him?"

"Don't be stupid! Its obvious he has an accomplice!" Sasuke snapped at his teammate.

A pink blur slammed into Naruto's backside, nearly knocking him off balance. "Good job Darling~! Your plan worked!" Zero Two gleamed as she clung to the blond, affectionately rubbing her cheek against his own. "And that jutsu was totally awesome y'know!"

"Well I _am_ pretty amazing y'know!"

Whilst attempting to learn the _"Wind Style: Great Breakthrough"_ , one of the few offensive jutsu that Asuma had to offer, there had been a slight mishap. Naruto had grown frustrated and ended up accidentally overcharging the technique with chakra. When he tried to regain control, he ended up concentrating the raging gale into a far more destructive blast. After that, the blonde had spent two days trying to replicate his blunder which led to the creation of a new jutsu.

Sakura came stumbling into view with an exasperated Tazuna trailing not too far behind her. "Holy crap guys! That was amazing!"

As Sakura gushed over her teammates, with the more excitable two relishing in the ovation, Kakashi could only stare at his students in awe. _'They...they actually did it,'_ Taking on a missing-nin, let alone winning against one was no small feat for a genin. And through their combined efforts and teamwork, his had taken down the infamous Demon of the Hidden Mist himself. _'They certainly are growing into their roles. I guess I can't exactly call them cute anymore.'_

Kakashi pulled his headband back down and slowly approached the group of rambunctious teenagers. "Alright team, settle down. We need to get a move on, it's not safe. We need to get Tazuna-san home as soon as possible."

"But Kakashi-sensei, No-Brows got away y'know!" Naruto pointed out.

"You're right. He seems to be working with someone else. We don't how many of them there are is exactly why we need to get out of here so we can plan our next move." the jōnin replied matter-of-factly. "So everyone rest up. We depart in five."

"Yes sir!" the genin all sounded off.

With a heavy sigh, Kakashi reached into his pouch and withdrew his signature orange book. _'That definitely wasn't the last we'll be seeing of the Demon. I need to make sure we're better prepared next time.'_

"You're just jealous my plan worked!"

"It doesn't make you any less stupid!"

"You stubborn ass!"

"Deadlast idiot!"

"Why I outta-"

"Yeah show'em who's boss Darling~!"

"Not again you guys...and don't encourage them Zero Two!"

Another sigh escaped the silver-haired man as he glanced toward the overcast sky. _'This truly is karma...isn't Minato-sensei?'_


	10. 010

_**010**_

* * *

"Um...where exactly are we going?" Sakura asked as she took in her surroundings.

"You want to eat right? We have to stop and pick up some things for dinner." Tazuna said indifferently as he walked down the road.

"Doesn't look like there's much to "pick up" around here..." Zero Two commented.

Currently, the three of them were making their way through Tazuna's village. The sun was just beginning to dip below the horizon, casting an orange glow across the land. Tazuna had been working on his bridge all day while the two pink-haired girls had been assigned to guard him. Kakashi was busy training Naruto and Sasuke so it was up to the kunoichi to keep the bridge builder safe from harm.

It had been five days now since their encounter with Zabuza and their arrival in the Wave Village. With the threat of the Swordsman still out there, Kakashi had subjected his students to some last minute training to better prepare for their next encounter. For Naruto, he had the blond working to split a boulder using nothing but his wind chakra. Naruto had been able to easily accomplish such a task with a small pebble but an object of greater mass proved to be more difficult. As for Sasuke, Kakashi had him working on improving his proficiency with his Sharingan. So he had Naruto summon a bunch of shadow clones to surround the Uchiha and bombard him with blunted kunai. This would work to sharpen the boy's reflexes while at the same time heightening his speed. Naruto was a bit too eager to help out his raven-haired teammate. Lastly, there was Sakura, who was continuing to work with Zero Two to improve her taijutsu. Kakashi had set it up so that they would work in rotations, with one pair guarding Tazuna for the day and while the other trained with Kakashi.

Tazuna led the two girls into a small shack where he offered a small wave to the owner. "I'll take the usual."

"Sure thing Tazuna-san. How are things at home?"

"Oh you know...same old, same old."

As Tazuna chatted with the man, Sakura looked around the small hut with a somber expression. 'How can someone call this a shop...?' The shelves barren, save for a few vegetables, which were too dry and shriveled up to provide much of a proper meal. She felt a slight brush across her backside and a chill raced up her spine. Sakura spun on her heels and caught sight of a man reaching for the pack strapped across her waist. "You pervert!"

"Wait no!" the man brought up his hands in defense. "It's not what you thi-"

"Shannarō!"

Sakura drove her fist into the man's face and sent him reeling, causing Zero Two to let out a low whistle. "I think he went a good ten meters. Impressive," she commented at the fuming pinkette's display. She felt a tug on her bow and glanced down to see a small child. He had a tangled mop of messy brown hair that reminded her of Naruto's own.

"May I...please?" he asked timidly, gesturing towards the box of pocky in her hand.

"Well aren't you precious," Zero Two smiled. "I don't see why not." She pulled out a wafer from the small container and handed it to the boy. His face lit up with a smile, causing the rosette to mirror his expression.

"Thank you very much ma'am!"

"Oh please, you're making me feel old," Zero Two said as she ruffled his hair. "Now run along," she ushered the boy away. He flashed one last toothy grin before disappearing into a nearby alley.

"This is how it's been ever since Gato showed up..."

Zero Two's head craned ans she saw Tazuna standing beside her, a bleak expression etched onto his withered face. "The children suffer and the adults are too afraid to stand up to him. That's why we have to finish the bridge. It will bring commerce and trade back to this land. But most important of all, it'll become a symbol of courage; One that will restore the spirit of our people," he said resolutely.

"If we can just complete the bridge...this town will finally return to how it one was. And then...just maybe...everyone will start to come back..."

"I see..." Zero Two nodded. In this moment, Tazuna reminded her a lot of Naruto. He was willing to put his life on the line for his ideals and the people he cared about. Even going as far as to request aid from a shinobi village under false pretenses. Tazuna was rough around the edges and an ornery drunkard, but he cared greatly about his loved ones and for that she could at least respect his resolve. "You know, for a sleezy drunk, you're not so bad old man."

"Hey! What's that su-"

"Make sure you finish it."

"Huh?"

"The bridge," Zero Two clarified. "We'll keep Gato and his goons off your back so make sure you finish it. Just don't go having a heart attack on us," She said dismissively before walking away.

"Honestly..." Tazuna smiled as she shook his head. "Kids these days have no respect for their elders."

"Actually, Zero Two doesn't have much respect for anyone really. Except maybe Naruto," Sakura laughed. "Zero Two is carefree, smug, and extremely self-confident. She hardly concerns herself with the welfare of others so take her words as a sign of good faith. Suppose we have Naruto to thank for that. You know, the blond one with-"

"I know, I know!" Tazuna'a shoulders sank as he let out a tired sigh. They certainly were set on making sure he didn't live down the remark he made against their teammate. "Let's just get back home already. I don't know about you but I'm starving."

* * *

"I er...I apologize for their lack of manners..."

"No, no, it's fine really," Tazuna wave his hands. "It's been quite some time since we've had such a big meal with guests over. It's actually rather fun."

His words didn't do much to change the clearly embarrassed Kakashi's crestfallen expression. They were currently huddled around a small table in the bridge builder's home eating a modest meal prepared by Tsunami, his daughter. Naruto and Sasuke, in their typical exuberance , were scarfing down their food in the most unholiest of fashions. Zero Two, unsurprisingly, had brought a jar full of honey and used it to drench her own plate. The only one of his students that was showing any form of decency was Sakura, who was already done eating.

"Seconds please!"

Naruto and Sasuke, having spoke at the same time, glared at one another. The tension between them was so thick Kakashi could've sworn he saw sparks shooting from their eyes. That was until they both visibly gagged and their faces drained of all color. Both boys brought a hand to their mouths before doubling over and expelling the contents of their stomachs onto the floor. Kakashi sighed once more but before he could say anything, an irate Sakura appeared between the two males and smacked their heads together, eliciting a chortle out of Zero Two.

"Don't eat so much if you're just going to spit it back up!"

"Ha! You get a pass this time Pinky because it was funny. I didn't think you had it in you to put hands on Prince Angst. It's only a matter of time until you're feeling him up!" Zero Two leered. It wasn't until that moment that Sakura's mind began to process exactly what she had just done. Her eyes shot back and forth between the groaning duo before finally resting on Sasuke. The pinkette's face was slowly tinted every known shade of red and she started babbling incoherently.

"I need the energy so I can go right back to training," Naruto groaned as she slowly sat back up in his chair. "It's only a matter of time before I leave Sasuke in the dust!"

"Like that would ever happen you brain dead loser!"

"I'll smack you down right now!"

"I'd like to see you try!"

"You're all just gonna die anyway!"

The room fell silent and all eyes turned to the smallest occupant. It was a young boy with black, spiky hair clad in a green jumpsuit with a yellow shirt and a simple pair of sandals.

"Inari!" Tsunami snapped at the boy. "Don't talk to our guests like that!"

"Well it's true! All of this training they're doing won't make a difference. Anyone who stands in Gato's way is just gonna die! That's what happens when you try to play hero," the boy yelled.

"Well I don't know about heroes, but I think we're more than enough to put a stop to that bastard's operation," Naruto countered.

"Gato has a whole army! They'll beat you down and destroy you!" Inari snarled. "No matter how cool you think you are or however much effort you put forth, it doesn't mean anything. The strong always win and the weak always lose!"

Naruto stared at the younger boy, watching as sadness beset in his eyes. The night before Tazuna had filled them in on their family's troubled past. A few years prior, there was a traveling fisherman by the name of Kaiza that saved Inari from drowning one day. Having never knew his biological father, the boy immediately took a liking to the man and Kaiza took a fatherly role in Inari's life, even becaming close to Tsunami and eventually marrying her. He also saved the town during a flood once and became known as a hero to the people. When Gatō took over the Land of Waves, Kaiza tried to stop him, but Gatō decided to use the man to scare anyone who hoped to stand against him. His bodyguards cut off Kaiza's arms and executed him in public, scaring Inari, who could only watch on helplessly. According to Tazuna, the death of his father had affected him immensely. He became sad and angry boy, with little hope or optimism. He blamed Kaiza for what had happened, believing that he, in dying, had broken his promise to protect the land.

"Tch...speak for yourself kid. I'm not like you," Naruto turned away from the boy, waving his hand dismissively.

"Just shut up already! Looking at you makes me sick!"

"Nothing I haven't heard before."

"All you do is sit around, laughing and goofing off. What do you know about pain and suffering?!" Inari berated the older boy. His eyes were beginning to moisten as tears threatened to spill over.

Zero Two was about to say something but Naruto help his hand up in response, prompting the rosette to stare at her beloved incredulously. Without his headband to hold his hair in place, it fell over his face, shrouding his eyes. "He's right y'know. Someone like me couldn't possibly understand," Naruto chuckled dryly. He rose out of his chair and calmly set his utensils down on the table before turning to leave. "I gotta get back to training."

"Darling wai-"

Naruto flickered away, leaving Zero Two's words to fall on deaf ears. Her eyes turned to Inari, bearing down on the whimpering boy with a piercing gaze. "Oi...brat. The world doesn't revolve around you y'know. We didn't come here to take part in your pity party."

"What did you say?!"

"Look at you, whining and sniveling like some hapless victim. You can just sit around waiting for death like the coward you are!" the rosette barked.

"Zero Two!" Sakura snapped at her teammate. "What is wrong with you?! You can't say something like that to a little kid!"

"Tch...whatever." the horned girl scoffed. "He wants to talk like a man then I'll treat him like one. I have to go find my Darling," she sneered before teleporting away. At the same time, Inari jumped out of his seat and ran out of the room, tears flowing freely from his eyes. Tazuna sighed heavily as he watched Tsunami chased after her son.

"Well then...all good things must come to an end I suppose," he said solemnly as he poured himself another drink. "I apologize for my grandson. It's just with the way things have been lately, everyone has given up hope. The others share his sentiment as well. But it only a matter of time. I just need a few more days and the bridge will be complete..."

"Not to worry Tazuna-san," Kakashi reassured him. "We will keep you safe from harm until then."

"You know...I've been meaning to ask for a while now. Why exactly did you stay?" Tazuna queried, prompting the ashen-haired man to raise an eyebrow.

"Hm?"

"I lied to you about the mission, and yet you decided to still help us. Why?"

"It's simple really," Kakashi shrugged. "Those who stray from the path of justice have no courage. But under the wing of a strong leader, cowardice can not survive." His words left the elderly man puzzled.

"huh?"

"It's a teaching from the First Hokage." Kakashi clarified. "And while I'm at it, please accept an apology on the behalf of my students. It would seem your grandson's words resonated with them, unfavorably so I'm afraid."

"What do you mean Kakashi-sensei?" Sakura inquired, her interest piqued.

"You see, Naruto and Zero two were a lot like Inari growing up. They never had a father, or a mother for that matter. They didn't really have any friends either. They were completely alone until they found one another, and even that didn't last long. Until just last month, they had been forcibly separated for almost a decade."

"That...that sounds aweful," Sakura gasped, bringing a hand to her mouth. Tazuna's eyes widened in surprise while Sasuke gave no outward reaction.

"However, I've never seen either of them sulk, be timid, or cry about their circumstances," "Kakashi continued. "Naruto is always eager, wanting to be acknowledged by someone. For reasons beyond his control, He's not the most well liked person in our village and his dream is to be respected by all. Something I'm willing to bet he'd even risk his life for. Zero Two, on the other hand, cares nothing for the sort. She wants acceptance from the person she admires most in the world, Naruto himself. I dare say she would do anything for his sake. All those years apart, he was the catalyst that drove a meek little girl into becoming the strong and proud warrior you see today."

"It...certainly sounds like they've been through a lot," Tazuna commented.

"I'll say..." Sakura breathed out.

"She might still be young, but Zero Two knows what it means to truly be strong. My guess is, she finally grew tired of crying and decided to do something about it. Her words, harsh as they were, is probably something she's told herself over and over again in the past." Kakashi reasoned. "But don't let her brash exterior fool you, she's got a kind heart. Something no doubt we have our resident knuckle-headed ninja to thank for," he chuckled.

"What do you mean for reasons beyond his control?" Sasuke suddenly spoke up. When he thought about it, all of the adult in the village seemed to resent Naruto for some reason or another. He had noticed it a couple times before throughout the years, but always attributed it to the blonde just being a pain in the ass and annoying everyone. But his sensei's words made him believe differently now.

'Tch...leave it to Sasuke to catch on. I really need to be more careful with my words,' Kakashi mentally cursed himself. The young Uchiha was shaping up to be just as sharp as his brother. "I am not at liberty to say. If Naruto chooses to disclose such information to you then I can't stop him."

"I see..." Sasuke replied evenly. Now he was certain that there was more to his blonde-haired teammate than meets the eyes. Naruto might be a nuisance at times, but nothing about the boy made him out to be as evil as everyone seemed to think he is. He stood up slowly and made his way towards the backdoor. "I'm going for a walk."

* * *

Naruto quietly made his way through the dark forest, his hands nestled away in the pockets of his jacket. Kakashi's training from earlier that day had left him worn out but after hearing Inari's words, he couldn't possibly sit still now. As much as he wanted to, he couldn't fault the kid for feeling that way. He'd been there himself after all. The only difference though was that he actually had the power to make a stand. He'd given up crying a long time ago and had promised to never let himself feel helpless like that ever again. _'Just you wait...next time I see Zabuza I'll kick his ass for sure. Then we'll drive Gato and his goon out of this country for good!'_

The blonde pushed through the bushes and found himself in a small clearing, though he was not alone. There was a girl, around his age if he had to guess, kneeling down in a patch of flowers. She had long, silky black hair that was draped loosely over her shoulders. She wore a pink, sleeveless kimono, with pale red edges and decorated with small plum-coloured swirls. Around her waist was a simple white obi tied in a bow, and her feet were covered by a pair of light brown sandals with dark straps. Upon hearing Naruto emerge from the trees, she froze in fear. This prompted the blond to wave his hands in a placid manner.

"Whoa there! Didn't mean to scare you miss. Wasn't expecting to see anyone else out at such a late hour."

"I'm gathering herbs..." The girl spoke, eyeing him cautiously.

"Herbs?" It was then he noticed the small woven basket sitting beside her.

"Yes. For healing injuries and such."

"Is someone in trouble?" Naruto inquired.

"Not anymore. My father was attacked by a group of rogue ninjas a few days ago. I came to gather more herbs to help with his recovery," she explained.

"That sounds terrible...do you need any help?" the blonde queried.

"No thank you, I'm just about done actually." the girl declined.

"Well...need someone to walk you home? It must be awfully dangerous around these parts, especially at this hour. You could get hurt."

"Shouldn't you be more concerned with yourself?"

"Me? I'll be fine," Naruto waved dismissively. "I'm just finishing up some training."

"Hmm..." the girl's head tilted to the side. "Could it be that...you're a ninja or something? or is that headband just a fashion statement?" she gestured to the strip of cloth handing out of the blond's pocket.

"Oh you noticed that?" Naruto said as he pulled his headband out. "Yup, I'm a ninja alright. The coolest one around!" he grinned.

"Oh wow! you must be really great then," the girl exclaimed.

"Weeellll...I'm don't mean to toot my own horn, but I _am_ pretty awesome," the blonde rubbed his nose haughtily.

"If that's the case...why are you training then?" the girl asked.

"To get stronger of course." Naruto replied, as if it were the most well known fact in the world.

"You look pretty strong enough to me," The girl tiled her head once more, earning a small blush from the intrepid boy.

"I wish! I still have along way so go. I have to keep practicing until I get even stronger!" Naruto pumped his fist in excitement.

"But why is it so important to you?"

"Y'know...had someone asked me that a month ago I would've told them so that I could become Hokage. It's been my dream ever since I was little." The blonde said sheepishly as he scratched the back of his head. "But things have...changed. Someone came into my life and I want to protect them, no matter the costs."

"This person sounds quite precious to you," the girl commented.

"That she is!" Naruto beamed as a cheesy grin split his features. "She's amazing and super strong in her own right, even more so than me. But she's always fawning over and trying to protect me though. Makes me feel pretty pathetic at times honestly...I should be the one protecting her y'know."

"Well it shouldn't. Whenever someone has something precious to them that they want to protect, their true strength emerges." The girl replied sagely. "Perhaps you love her just as much as she loves you."

"Huh...guess I never thought about it like that," Naruto said blankly as he began to reminisce on his time spent with his girlfriend. They had only been reunited for quite sometime now. Even if he couldn't remember their past together, he treasured every moment spent alongside the excitable girl.

 _"You were amazing Darling~!"_

 _"Neh, neh, Darling, can we stop and get some dango? Pleeeeease~!_

 _"All's fair in love and war Darling~!"_

 _'Love huh?'_ The blonde pondered the thought.

"Darling~!"

He'd grown so used to having Zero Two in his life now. She was the first person to ever acknowledge him. She wasn't afraid of him and where others bore down on him with hatred and scorn, she showered him with praises and affection. She was always pushing him to improve and better himself. He couldn't possibly imagine life without her now. The very thought made his heart ache.

"Daahliiiiing~!"

Hell, even now he could practically hear her calling out to him in her usual infantile, saccharine tone.

 _'Maybe she has a p-'_

His thought was cut short by an incredible force slamming into him. "Gah!" Naruto grunted in pain, crashing unceremoniously into the dirt. The blonde was left momentarily disoriented from the sudden impact. It didn't take him long to to regain his bearings and he finally noticed the weight on his chest. He look up to see the subject of his most recent contemplation. She was straddling his waist with her arms folded across her chest, bearing down on the blond with a surly expression.

"Eh?! What the hell Zero Two?!"

"Don't give me that! You ran off and left me with those deadbeats!" The rosette huffed.

"You didn't have to crash into me y'know!"

"How else would I show my love for you?!"

"I don't know, like a normal person!"

"But that's so boooring!"

Their lover's quarrel was interrupted by the sound of giggling, drawing the attention of both teens. They turned to see the girl covering her mouth in an effort to hide her amusement. "This is the girl I presume. You two certainly seem made for one another."

"Neh Darling...Who is that?"

Naruto felt his blood run cold. Zero Two's tone was dead and she was staring at the other girl with a blank expression. "I don't know, I swear!" Naruto quickly waved his hands. It would mean bad news for that girl, and more importantly himself, if his girlfriend got the wrong idea. "She's just someone I bumped into on my way to go train."

Zero Two's eyes slowly shifted between the two before finally settling on the girl. "He's mine already so go find your own." She glared.

This elicited another giggle from the girl. "You have nothing to worry about, I promise," she said before standing up. She reached down to collect her basket and turned to leave, but not before sparing one final glance over her shoulder at the couple. "I am a guy after all."

"Eh?!" Naruto stared speechlessly.

"EEHH?!" Zero Two parroted, equally perplexed.

Satisfied with their disbelieving expression, the boy took his leave. 'Oh god...Why the hell was he so pretty?!' Naruto gagged at the thought. His relection was cut short when Zero Two swatted him on the arm.

"So you're into guys now is that it? I'm not enough for you?" She huffed, turning her nose up at the blonde.

"Whaaaat?!" Naruto coughed. "You know what...I'm not even going to give you the pleasure," he replied, causing the girl to pout.

"You're no fun Darling," Zero Two whined.

"What are you doing here anyway?" The blonde queried.

Zero Two's head tilted slightly as she stared down at the boy. "Do I need a reason to come see my beloved?"

"Er...well...no, I guess not," Naruto chuckled.

"Exactly. So try looking more excited to see me next time," she poked him in the chest.

"Alright, Alright," Naruto relented. "But could you at least let me up?"

"But you make such a wonderful cushion y'know."

"Zero Two."

 _"Fiiiine."_

Zero Two slowly removed herself from the blonde's lap and sat down next to him. Naruto sat upright and stretched his arms over his head in an effort to soothe the knots forming in his back. "You really are gonna be the death of me someday y'know."

"You big baby," The rosette slapped his arm playfully. "But seriously Darling, are you okay?" She asked in a much more anxious tone.

"Of course, why wouldn't I be?" The blonde's eyebrow rose in confusion.

"Because of what that kid said. I mean who does that brat think he is!" Zero Two huffed in annoyance.

"Oh that? I mean sure I was annoyed at first, but I'm over it now. Besides you said it yourself, he's just a kid y'know" Naruto spoke plainly.

"You're too nice for your own good Darling."

"And you're too vindictive."

"Well one of us has to be!"

The two stared at one another before bursting into laughter. It was moments like these that Naruto came to cherish. Right now they weren't ninja carrying out a mission or fighting for the sake of their nation's honor. They were simply just a boy and a girl indulging in each other's company.

Zero Two's laughter died down to a low giggle when she notice her beloved staring at her intently. "What? Is there something on my face?"

"Nope, nothing at all," Naruto responded coolly.

"Well stop staring then. You know it makes me uncomfortable," she shoved his arm.

"I was just admiring how beautiful you are."

Zero Two's entire face was now tinted the same rosy shade as her her and a small smile lit up her features. "I take it back. I permit you to stare as long as you like~!" The rosette beamed as she clung to his arm, nuzzling her head against his shoulder.

"God you're so vain," Naruto rolled his eyes, doing his best to fight back a smile and failing miserably.

"Well I'm allowed to be. Im a princess after all~!"

"Yes, yes, the fairest in all of the land."

"And don't you forget it!"

"You're gonna stop calling me a noble steed too. I'm not a taxi y'know!" Naruto grumbled.

"Neh Darling."

Zero Two had snuggled even even closer to his side which made the blonde wary. He glanced down at his companion, eyeing her suspiciously "What is it now?" He was caught by surprise when she shot forward, taking hold of his lips with her own. Naruto couldn't help but gasp at the sudden contact and Zero Two pulled away just as fast as she came.

"You'll always be my hero."

The blonde was at a loss for words as he stared down at the horned girl. Her beryl eyes reflected the silvery light of the moon, making them sparkle with an even greater luster than before and she was flashing him a wide, toothy smile, one that she reserved only for him. At that moment, she couldn't have possible looked more beautiful. "T-There go trying to butter me up again," The blonde stammered. He turned his nose up at the girl in an effort to hide his reddening face but it only made her smirk victoriously. "Don't think it'll save you. I haven't forgot how you cheated in our race the other day," he grumbled.

"Oh you are such a baby Darling," Zero Two giggled. "But I'll take you down any time y'know."

"That a challenge?"

"No, it's a fact."

The two locked gazes briefly before splitting apart in a flash of moment. They reappeared a few meters apart with both settling into exaggerated fighting stances.

"Surrender now. Show you mercy I shall," Naruto spoke with a mocking, low-pitched tone.

"Ohohohohoho~!" Zero Two let out an obnoxious, hearty laugh as she brought a hand to her chin. "You think you stand a chance? Very well, I shall instill discipline in you my love."

"Foolish you are. Saved you can not be. Death awaits!"

"Oh I love it when you talk dirty to me~!"

The callow adolescents began to engage in a frivolous spar, completely ignorant of the smirking figure that was hiding in the shadows making its departure.

* * *

"Alright you guys, line up."

Kakashi watched his team groggily assemble in front of Tazuna's house. The lax Naruto stood in a slouched stance, struggling to keep his eyes open. Zero Two was beside him, hanging off of his shoulder in an effort to keep herself up right. The two had stayed out until the early morning and were only able to get an hour of sleep. Sasuke had returned late as well and seemed to be in no better condition than the normally excitable couple. Sakura was the most well rested out of all of them and even she looked drained.

"Starting today we're all going to be guarding Tazuna-san as a team," Kakashi instructed.

"Why are we up so early?" Zero Two whined.

"Yeah the sun's barely even out y'know!" Naruto complained.

"The early bird gets the worm," came a voice behind them. The genin all turned to see Tazuna emerging from the house. "Besides, the more hours of sunlight we have, the more work we can get done and the faster we can complete the bridge."

"Tazuna-san makes a great point. So I need everyone in top form today. Put your game faces on everyone," Kakashi clapped his hands together, flashing a signature eye smile at his charges, evoking a chorus of groans from the juveniles. Zero Two even went as far to pull her eyelid down and blow a raspberry at the jōnin.

"I thought old people were supposed to be all decrepit and lacking in energy," Naruto grumbled. A swift smack to the head courtesy of Tazuna shut the cheeky blond up.

"This "old" man has more than enough fight in him."

The entire group shared a laugh at the blond's expense until Kakashi managed to reign them all back in. "Alright, alright, saddle up everyone. You know the drill: eyes up and ears open. Make no mistake, our enemy is out there and could attack at any time so we must be ever vigilant."

"Yes sir," came another echoes of groans.

As the silver-haired man watched his team move out, he couldn't help but feel a sense of dread rising within himself. _'I have a bad feeling about today...'_

* * *

"What...what's going on here?"

Tazuna along with the others stared in horror at the sight before them. They had arrived at the bridge only to find it in a state of chaos. The entire platform was bathed in blood with bodies and appendages strewn haphazardly all over the place. A heavy fog began to roll across the bridge, alerting the ninjas in the group. "Everyone form up!" Kakashi commanded. The four teens immediately surrounded Tazuna and took up defensive stances. Zero Two quickly summoned Strelitzia while Naruto and Sasuke drew their swords. "Our enemy is making their move."

"Neh this mist... it's Zabuza again isn't it Kakashi-sensei?" Sakura inquired. Jade eyes stared out into the brume, scanning carefully for any signs of movement.

"Sorry to keep you waiting Kakashi..." a disembodied voice rang out around them. There was a flash of movement and eight Zabazas appeared around the group with their swords drawn, surprising the Leaf-nins. "I see you still have those brats with you. Look, the blond one is even trembling." True to Mist-nin's word, Naruto's hands were shaking. But what the man couldn't see was the impish grin settling on to the boy's face.

"But of course I am. How could I not be," Naruto chuckled. "I'm getting excited over here y'know!" He turned to his sensei, who gave the boy a knowing smirk.

"Alright then. I leave it to you Naruto."

"Ha alright! I'll cut them down to size!" Naruto exclaimed. He dropped his stance and held his sword at shoulder level, pointing it at one of the clones.

" _Ko Gasumi No Kamae_ huh?" Zabuza's voice echoed out again. "Even that stance won't save you from death!" Intent on make an example of the boy, all eight clones converged on Naruto

"Heh, this one outta make Yugao-nee proud," he said to himself. A gale suddenly surged around the blond whilst his blade glistened with a layer of chakra. _**"Secret Sword: Moonlight!"**_

"Too late brat! Now Die!" The clones all swung simultaneously, crashing their massive swords onto the defensive Naruto. What they hadn't counted on was their weapons passing through the boy. Naruto's form shimmered before slowly fading away. _'An afterimage?!'_ Before any of the doppelgangers could react, they were all decapitated. The chakra keeping them together dispersed, causing them to burst and the water that gave them shape sloshed to the ground. Naruto phased into sight a moment later with his sword resting on his shoulder.

"Heh, that trick of yours is getting pretty old y'know!"

"Oh? So he managed to stop all of my clones huh?" The mist began to clear up slightly and revealed the real Zabuza standing not to far away from them group, but he wasn't alone. Beside him stood a young person, most likely in their early teens. They wore a light-brown pinstriped outfit that was standard of Hidden Mist ninja that stopped at their knees. Over this they wore a green haori with white trimmings and a brown sash with a fringed trail wrapped around their waist twice. They also wore light-brown platoon sandals with straps in the same colour as the kimono as well as the nail polish coating their fingernails and toenails. Their hair was gathered in a white bun holder, while two locks of his hair fell loose framing their face, bound with metal hair cuffs at the ends. Lastly was the hunter-nin mask covering the person's face. It was white with thin, curved eye-holes and a red wavy design in place of the mouth, as well as the Kirigakure symbol etched in the top.

"You might even have a worthy rival now Haku," Zabuza nodded to his androgynous companion with a smirk.

"So it would seem..." Haku replied in a soft masculine voice, revealing himself to be male.

"Well it would seem that my prediction was right on the money," Kakashi stepped forward.

"Prediction you say?" Zabuza's eyebrow rose.

"Indeed. You forget these "brats" are the same ones that left you knocking on death's door just a week ago. There was no way possible you could've gotten away unless you had an accomplice," The cyclops jōnin casually pointed out, earning a growl from the swordsman.

"Be that as it may, they're still no match for Haku. You should have cut them loose when you still had the chance," Zabuza retorted.

"Tch...this guy never shuts up does he? He's almost as bad as Naruto" Sasuke clicked his teeth.

Naruto grinned as he shrugged the stiffness out of his shoulders. "Heh, We'll just have to kick his ass again- Oi!"

"They certainly are spirited youths." Haku spoke up once more. "Even though those water clones only have a tenth of the original's strength, he took them out effortlessly."

"Be that as it may...you've already made the preemptive move. Finish it," Zabuza commanded.

"Right." Haku took a hard step forward and started to spin on his heel, confusing the leaf-nin. The masked boy began to steadily pick up speed as he advanced toward his targets.

"Alright, things are finally starting to pick up!" Naruto proclaimed excitedly. He moved to intercept, only to be pushed aside. Naruto quickly recovered and his eyes flashed to Sasuke looking back over his shoulder, a smug grin marring his features.

"You're in the way loser."

Naruto's eye twitched slightly as he stared at the raven-haired boy's back. "Goddamn it Sasuke I swear I'm going to beat you like a fucking taiko drum y'know!" the blonde cursed before chasing after his teammate.

Sasuke ignored the curses being thrown at him and readied his sword. His Sharingan spun to life as he drew closer to the gyrating Haku, analyzing the boy's posture for an opening. With a smirk, the Uchiha flourished his blade and lashed out. It collided with the senbon Haku held in his hand, completely negating his momentum and surprising the boy. "Heh...you're slower than you look."

"Out of the way pretty boy, this guy is mine!" Naruto barked as he flipped over Sasuke's head, aiming to take out his opponent with an axe kick. Haku pushed away from the duo and slid backwards to a safe distance.

"Oh man there's no way I'm missing out on this action y'know!" Zero Two proclaimed, readying her weapon.

"No," Kakashi put his hand out in front of her. "Let Naruto and Sasuke handle this. You and Sakura form up around Tazuna and stick close to me."

"Whaaaaaat?" the horned girl whined. "But that's boring y'kno-"

"I'm counting on you Zero Two."

The rosette was caught off-guard and left stunned by his words. Her response came in the form of a scoff as she turned away from the older ninja in order to hide the faint blush creeping onto her cheeks. "Alright I got it..."

Naruto and Sasuke pressed on with their two-fold attack. The boys rained down steel on Haku, assaulting him with a barrage of blows from every direction. Kakashi was amazed that the young mist-nin was able to defend himself against such an onslaught. It spoke volumes of his speed, dexterity, and skill. _'This kid is dangerous. Naruto and Sasuke need to keep their wits about them or this fight could turn fatal at any second,'_ the ashen-haired man thought grimly.

Naruto sliced at Haku's side but the attack was easily deflected. Haku flared his chakra, causing the puddles around him to freeze over. "Eh?!" Naruto cried out as he helpless slid towards the railing that lined the bridge. The ice user quickly turned around to block the sword aiming for his neck. Sasuke's eyes narrowed when we found himself locked in a stalemate.

"I'm nothing like that loser. Your cheap tricks wont work on me."

"I don't want to have to kill either of you..." Haku said in a low voice. "It would be best for you both to just stand down."

"Nonsense," Sasuke snorted at the thought. He had promised himself long ago that he would never run away again.

"I figured as much. Just know that from now on you won't be able to keep up with my speed. I've already made two preemptive moves," Haku spoke once more.

"Is that so?"

"The first is the water scattered all over the ground. The second was blocking one of your hands," Haku enlightened the Uchiha. "Now let's see if you can defend against my attack." Using his free hand, the older boy began rapidly forming hand signs, much to leaf-nins' surprise.

 _'One hand?! there's no way in h-'_

 _ **"Secret Technique: A Thousand Needles of Death!"**_

Sasuke's thought was cut short when his adversary suddenly stomped his foot down. The large puddle of water beneath them rose into the air around them and the droplets formed into sharp needles. Haku pushed away from Sasuke and directed the myriad of needles towards the defenseless Uchiha. But he was put off by the boy's presumptuous leer, which was further enhanced by his glowing dojutsu. Time seemed to slow down for the raven-haired boy as the chiliad of projectiles converged on him. Sasuke began channeling chakra throughout his entire body and spun his blade into a reverse grip. _'I can see it!'_

Haku stared in bewilderment as he watched Sasuke's body seemingly blur out of existence and deflect all of the needles. Even Zabuza was left astonished by the display of speed. _'To be able to keep up with Haku's speed is one thing, but this is inconceivable!'_ He was starting to realize just how dangerous of a technique the Sharingan really was. The ice user was too distracted by the spectacle to notice the figure approaching from behind.

"You didn't forget about little ole me did you?"

Haku's eyes widened beneath his mask and felt a sharp pain across his lower back. Naruto had reinforced his leg with chakra and sent the unsuspecting mist-nin flying with a spinning back kick. Haku grunted in pain as he sailed through the air. It felt as if his back was broken and it most likely would have been had he not been able to coat his skin with a layer of ice. He moved to right himself mid-flight only for Sasuke to appear behind him.

"Now let's see you defend against this!" He intercepted the mist-nin with a spinning roundhouse that sent him flying back towards the ground. "Naruto!" He called out to the blond before running through a series of hand signs. The blond immediately picked up on his intentions and began forming hand signs of his one.

 ** _"Fire-Style: Dragon Falme Bullet!"_**

 ** _"Wind-Style: Unrelenting Force!"_**

A flaming dragon exploded from Sasuke while Naruto spit out a violent gale. Haku watched as the massive elemental projectiles closed in on him at breakneck speeds. _'It seems I've underestimated them too much. I'll have to start getting serious.'_ The two jutsu slammed into Haku, trapping the boy as they coalesced into a single massive fireball and exploded in a dazzling display. Sasuke landed beside Naruto and the two bumped fists whilst admiring their handiwork. That was at least until the smoke cleared an revealed a block of ice. Given its rectangular shape and reflective surface, it was more akin to a mirror.

The many puddles of water lining the surface of bridge sprang into the air around Naruto and Sasuke, casuing both boys to take up defensive stances. A second block of ice similar to the first began to take shape, followed shortly after by a third. In mere seconds the ice mirrors formed a dome around the two genins, trapping them inside. Sasuke glanced around and counted twenty-one in total. Twelve remained at ground level, eight floated just above them angled downwards, and the final one was above the rest facing parallel the ground.

"What the hell is this?" Naruto eyed the mirrors suspiciously.

"Nothing good that's for certain," Sasuke scoffed.

"This is your downfall." Haku appeared in the mirror just in front of them, alarming both boys. "Now that you're imprisoned inside of my Crystal Ice Mirrors, your only escape will be death." Soon after the ice user's visage appeared in all of the mirrors, each armed with a hand full of senbon.

"That can't be good y'know..."

"And now I shall show you true speed."

Sasuke noticed a glint in his peripherals and quickly spun his blade, knocking away a senbon needle. Almost immediately after, he felt something sharp tear across his abdomen. Naruto let out a pained grunted after another volley sank into his back. In an instant the air inside the down was filled with needles. The duplicates were all attacking at once, pelting the leaf-nins with senbon. Naruto and Sasuke stood back to back, deflecting what needles they could using their swords but there were just too many. Haku continued on relentlessly with his assault, slowly turning his opponents into pin cushions.

* * *

Upon hearing both boys scream, Zabuza couldn't help but chuckle.

"Neh Kakashi...those boys are done for now since that jutsu has appeared."

Kakashi tried his best to ignore the swordsman's taunt but he was actually starting to get worried now. _'This isn't good...He's on a completely different level than before. And that jutsu of his...I can't make sense of it with my Sharingan. Could it be a kekkei genkai?'_ Another series of pained cries from his students shook the jōnin from his thoughts. _'Shit...Naruto and Sasuke won't last much longer at this rate.'_

"Darling!" Zero Two cried out, grounding her teeth in frustration. She couldn't stand to watch any longer. Her beloved was in trouble and she refused to standby idly. "Sakura, take Tazuna and go hide. I'm going to back them up." the rosette commanded. Sakura merely blinked at the older girl, surprised that Zero Two used her actual name for once. The pinkette quickly shook herself out of her stupor before giving an affirmative nod.

"Sure thing! Come with me Tazuna-san!" Sakura took the elderly man's hand in her own and he offered no resistance. Now was the perfect opportunity to slip away and retreat back to the village. Their mission and the bridge builder's hard work would all be for naught if he kicked the bucket now.

"Don't have to tell me twice! Let's make like a tree and get the hell out of here!"

"S-Sure thing..." Sakura nearly fell over at his response. She went to activate her Chameloen Jutsu, but not before turning back to her fellow kunoichi-in-arms. "Give 'em hell Zero Two!" she pumped her fist.

"Count on it!"

Zero Two waited until she could no longer sense Sakura or Tazuna before making her move. She began by steadily channeling chakra through her arm and into Stretlitzia. The blade heated up rapidly and started to glow bright orange from the searing heat. Her eyes fell on prison of ice mirrors, locking on to Naruto and Sasuke who were still trapped within and at the mercy of Zabuza's protege. "Just hold on a little longer Darling." Zero Two spun the glaive in her hand as she took aim. Mustering all of her strength, she launched Strelitzia at the frozen bastille.

"Not so fast girly."

Zabuza suddenly materialized with Kubikiribōchō in hand and intercepted Strelitzia, easily knocking it aside. He shouldered the massive blade before leveling a glare at the kunoichi. " I won't let you interfere. Besides, I still have to return the favor for breaking half of my ribs." Zero Two clicked her teeth in annoyance and summoned Strelitzia back to her hand once more. She bore down on the pale man with a hard, defiant gaze.

"Shame. I was aiming to break all of them. Guess I'll just have to hit you even harder this time y'know."

"Ha!" Zabuza snorted with laughter. "Such a staunchly girl. This will make watching the life drain from your eyes all the more worthwhile!"

"I'm afraid I can't allow that to happen." Kakashi landed beside Zero Two and pulled up his headband. His Sharingan spun to life as it locked onto the rogue swordsman. "It's over for you Zabuza. You won't be leaving here alive this day."

"Is that so?" Zabuza chuckled. He formed the ram seal and the mist blanketing the area grew even thicker. "Let's just see which of us makes it out of here alive."

* * *

Sasuke dropped to a knee to steady his breathing and collect his thoughts. _'Damn it...I can just barely see him but he's still to fast!'_ he ground his teeth. Using his Sharingan, he was able to determine that their opponent wasn't in fact using clones. He was able to move in and out of his mirror freely and he moved with such speed that he appeared to be in multiple places at once. But even with his Sharingan, there were just too many projectiles and they were coming from all directions. They had tried destroying the mirrors but the ice they were comprised of proved to be astonishingly resilient. Even his strongest fire jutsu didn't leave a scratch on them. Sasuke cast a sidelong glance at his teammate, who look a lot worse for wear than he did.

Naruto was hunch over with his hand resting on his knees, struggling to catch a breath. His body was littered with senbon all over, making him look like a human porcupine. He had long since stopped pulling them out. It seemed like for each one he did, another two took it's place. It also didn't help that he was actually starting to run low on chakra for once. He had been summoning shadow clones nonstop in an effort to catch Haku when he emerged from his mirrors, but the ice user was just too fast. Sasuke was the fastest out of all of them and even he couldn't keep up with his Sharingan. The situation grew more and more dire by the second. They had to come up with a plan to deal with Haku and his mirrors before it was too late.

"Don't suppose you have any bright ideas?" Sasuke queried as he removed a needle from his shoulder, keeping his eyes lock on Haku. There was currently a lull in the action and the boy was hiding in his mirror, watching him.

"I'm just gonna grab him as soon as he slips up and beat him into the dirt y'know!" Naruto spit out a glob of blood and wiped away the small trail running from his mouth with the sleeve of his jacket.

"Tch...I should've known better than to ask," Sasuke scoffed in annoyance. While Naruto did have his shining moments, he was still too straightforward as ever. _'Then again, the loser might be on to something. A jutsu of this scale and complexity must expend a lot of chakra. There has to be a limit to how long he can keep this up.'_

"Give it up already. Your lives will be spared if you just hand over the bridge builder. I'd rather not kill you if I don't have too," Haku spoke up. Truth be told, he was nearing him limits. He had spent years perfect the Crystal Ice Mirrors, but maintaining this many at once was extremely draining on his chakra. It also didn't help that the raven-haired one was slowly starting to keep up with his movements. 'The Sharingan truly is terrifying. He's already grazed me once and its only a matter of time before he lands a solid hit. He only had maybe another five minute before his reserves were completely exhausted so this next strike would have to end it once and for all.

"Ha! Sorry to burst your bubble, but I ain't dying here today," Naruto flashed a grin at the androgynous boy. "There's someone counting on me and I refuse to let her down y'know!"

"For once, we can agree on something," Sasuke smirked. "Mostly." If he lost, then he would never be able to take down the person that wiped out his clan. All of his effort and training over the years would go to waste if he died here and now.

"I see...you intend to continue this folly then?" Haku inquired.

"You can give up on me giving up!" came Naruto's enthusiastic reply.

"Then your fates are sealed," Haku said dejectedly. His hands ran through a short series of hand signs that ended in the dog seal. The temperature inside the dome dropped significantly, which didn't go unnoticed by Naruto and Sasuke. Naruto glanced down and was shock to see that the puddles that had previous covered the ground had all been frozen solid. But what made him worry was the fact that their feet were also encased in a thin layer of ice.

"Shit!" Sasuke cursed as he tried to move his legs but to no avail.

Alarms started going off in Naruto's head. Haku was still staring down at them indifferently and the blond could sense that something bad was coming. Growing up in a village where everyone despises you can give one quite a heightened sense of danger. 'Crap he's going to take us both out...I have to do something!' Without giving it much thought, Naruto turned to Sasuke and grabbed him by the arm.

"What the hell are you doing?!" The raven-haired boy exclaimed. He didn't have time for the idiot's shenanigans.. "Let go of-"

"Sorry Sasuke, but this is where you get off." Naruto interrupted him as he started channeling chakra into his arms.

"Huh-"

Sasuke's words caught in his throat when he felt himself suddenly snatched off of his feet. His legs were freed from the ice and he found himself being spun around unceremoniously. With a one final spin, Naruto heaved his teammate toward one of the openings between the mirrors. The sailing Uchiha looked back to throw a glare at the blond but his eyes widened in horror. There were a multitude of ice spears springing forth out of the ground and mirrors, all converging on the defenseless Naruto. And even with the encroaching danger, the blond never stopped grinning. "I leave the rest to you Sasuke."

"Naruto!"

 _ **SQUELCH!**_


	11. 011

_**011**_

* * *

Clouds slowly drifted across the skies over the Hidden Leaf. Snowfall descended upon the quiet village, coating its rooftops and blanketing the the empty streets. Everyone had confined themselves to the warmth and shelter of their homes to escape the tears of the sky. Well, almost everyone.

In a small alley off one of the side streets, there lay a small, blonde child. His usually yellow as the sun hair was tinted a dark hue of red by the blood that was freely flowing out of a gash on his forehead. He was covered with all kinds of cuts and bruises that varied in size from scratches to small gashes. Yet he didn't seem to be bothered by them at all. He always received them and today always was the worst day of the year: his birthday. Every year on his birthday since he could walk, he was severely abused and beaten. The older he got, the more extreme the torture. Eventually, he was evicted from the orphanage and the Hokage had to set him up with a small apartment to live in by himself. Yet the boy was unfazed by it all. Not much you can do when you're a five year-old orphan with no hint of who your parents are and the only time people pay attention to you was to either insult or beat you senseless. It's a hard life to be the most hated person in the village.

 **"Hey kit, you should get up and go home before they come back,"** came a voice in the boys head.

 _'But I didn't get to make a snow angel yet...'_

 **"Naruto."**

 _'Alright, alright.'_

He sat up slowly, slightly wincing at the pain from his wounds. After about five minutes, he was able to stand by using the wall for support. He then limped out of the alley and headed in the direction of his apartment. He sluggishly progressed his way down the streets, moving only as fast as his broken body would allow him. The extreme cold didn't do much to help his pace and neither did the constant downpour of snow. Though it did start to flush the blood out of his scalp as it melted into his hair, returning his unruly locks to their natural hue. As he walked, he pondered on his thoughts for awhile before turning to the other voice in his conscience.

"I was only looking through the window this time. It's not like I actually went _inside_ the shop y'know," he grumbled aloud. "Man if they hate me this much they must _reeeeally_ despise you Kurama."

 **"Yeah well, you need to leave this wretched place already. If they kill you, then I die too,"** The voice replied. It belonged to none other than the chakra entity sealed within the boy, the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox.

"I'm not dying anytime soon. We still have to find a way to get you out of my body," Naruto said as he spit out a glob of blood. "I never go back on my promises!"

 **"God you are so much like your mother that it makes me want to vomit,'** Kurama groaned, eliciting a chuckle out of the boy. **"And I meant it Kit. It's time to move."**

"What happened to the plan?" Naruto questioned.

 **"Plans change. If we leave now it'll be much easier to slip away by using the snow as cover and it'll be harder to track you down,"** the fox explained.

"You mean even more so than now? Ha!" the blonde snorted with laughter. Kurama had to hand it to the boy, he'd had an uncanny knack for espionage. It was a result of a mischievous nature that drove the blonde to terrorize the common folk with a never-ending series of pranks. Yet another trait the boy had undoubtedly inherited from his mother.

"I guess that makes sense. But I _hate_ the snow. It's so cold." the small blonde whined. A snowflake landed on his nose, causing him to sneeze. "Stupid snow...I'm not a giant ball of fur like you y'know!"

 **"Don't get snippy with me brat!"**

"Who you calling a brat you stupid fox?!"

 **"Hairless monkey!"**

"You...you.." Naruto stumbled over his words as he struggled to form a sentence. "You- ARGH! I'll kick your ass someday y'know!"

 **"Ha! You're a about a hundred years too early to even think about challenging me Kit!"**

"Yeah well I'll get bigger some day y'know!"

 **"But until then get your scrawny ass back home before you freeze to death. We leave tomorrow,"** Kurama ordered.

"Alright, alright...slave driver much. You could at least heal me faster," Naruto grumbled.

 **"Don't give me lip boy. Now get to stepping."**

"Yeah, yeah"

 **"Oh, and kit?"**

"What?"

 _ **"Happy Birthday."**_

Naruto froze mid-stride as he processed the fox's words and a cheesy grin spread across the blond's face. "Thanks," he replied before continuing his voyage across the village back to his home.

* * *

 **"Extra scrolls?"**

"Check."

 **"Toothbrush?"**

"Got it."

 **"Underwear?"**

"Yep."

 **" _Clean_ Underwear?"**

"O-Of course!" Naruto stammered as he quickly shoved the sealing scroll into his pack. It was early in the morning and he was finalizing arrangements for his impromptu flight of the village. His supplies included several changes of clothes, a hefty supply of rations bars, a set of kunai knives he'd "borrowed" from a weapons shop. It was all gear he had easily procured over the last couple of weeks at Kurama's instruction. The hard part was teaching the blonde how to seal it all away inside of a scroll. Naruto's hyperactive nature and short attention span didn't make him the most...diligent pupil. But now that everything was all said and done, the only thing left to do was pack it all up. The plan was to set out at the break of dawn.

 **"Oi! You better have actually packed more than just ramen this time! You know that crap gives me a headache when you splurge on it!"** Kurama barked.

"But Kurama-"

 **"So help me god Naruto, I will give you acid reflux again."**

"Alright, alright, anything but that!"

Naruto hesitantly removed the scroll hidden away in his bag containing his entire stash of ramen. Kurama had told him repeatedly that ramen was unreasonable because it would require a heat source and lighting a fire was out of the question. It would draw unnecessary attention to themselves and the beast's chakra would keep the blond warm by heating up his body internally. Naruto took the scroll full of ration bars and grudgingly shoved it into his bag. They were far from appetizing but they were loaded with nutrients and would give him more than enough energy for the long journey ahead. With the last scroll packed, Naruto picked up his backpack and slung it over his shoulder. He was clad in a jacket, pants, and sandals. His entire ensemble was black save for the orange spiral shirt he wore beneath the jacket. Kurama had managed to convince the boy to do away with that obnoxious orange sweatshirt he was so fond of, but the small blond absolutely refused to completely to do away with the color.

"You know what...I think this might actually be the time. There's no way they'll catch us this time." Naruto said has he glanced around the room.

 **"So long as you don't mess it up for us by farting again."** Kurama rolled his eyes.

"O-o-o-i! I told you it was those stupid ration bars! You should just let me bring ramen!" Naruto shot back in embarrassment.

 **"Yeah, yeah, get a move on already. The sun is starting to come up."**

Naruto's eyes turned to the window and true to the fox's words, the sun was beginning to peak over the horizon. He shifted the pack on his back and made his way over to the window. The boy peered over his shoulder, giving his apartment one last look over. With a satisfied smirk, Naruto pulled the hood of his jacket over his head and leapt over the small balcony.

* * *

Naruto bit back a curse as he nearly lost his footing again. He had been trudging around in he snow for nearly half an hour now and he'd only managed to make it to the top of the Hokage Monument. While it was technically outside of the municipal areas, it was still within the confines of the village. Naruto's small body was racked by a sudden sneeze and the boy wiped his nose with an annoyed growl. "This why I hate the snow!" He spat.

 **"Keep it down you witless monkey before someone hears you!"** Kurama berated the blond. **"My chakra is keeping that frail body of yours warm so it's not like you're freezing to death or anything."**

"Oi! I am not frail y'know!"

 **"Then get your ass in gear! At this rate Spring will be here by the time we make it out of Fire Country!"**

"Well why don't get out here and do it? Oh that's right, you _can't_!" Naruto quipped, making the beast growl.

 **"You little shit! I outta-"** A snapping noise broke the eerie silence plaguing the field, immediately drawing Kurama's attention. **"Kit, Someone's here."**

"Already ahead of you!"

Naruto staggered his was through the snowy slush towards the nearest tree and quickly scaled it. His black clothes allowed him to blend in with the blackened dead branches, effectively hiding the blond. His eyes soon soon caught sight of a small figure stumbling out of the thicket. It was a girl garbed in a tattered black cloak. Her emblazoned ruby skin stood out like a flare against the silvery landscape and long pink hair floated behind her like a cardinal of cotton candy. But what stood out the most about her were the pair of sharp horns protruding out of the top of her head. Naruto stared in awe, mesmerized by the girl. She suddenly lost her footing and crashed head first into the snow. Her eyes darted around, scanning the area and it was then Naruto finally noticed her panicked expression.

"Somethings not right..."

Another figure landed in the glade and Naruto immediately recognized them as an ANBU. But something was different about them. They were adorned in the standard mask and cloak worn by the ANBU, but not any of the armor. And rather than a katana, there was a tanto strapped to their back. "There you are," the man spoke. The girl backed away from him and let out a growl.

 _'I think she's in trouble,'_ Naruto communicated to his tenant.

 **"So what? Not our problem. We should get out of here while that ANBU is distracted."** Kurama replied.

 _'No, that's not a regular ANBU. Something's off about him. We gotta help her!'_

 **"Don't be stupid Kit!"** Kurama chastised. **"The whole point of escaping the village was to _not_ draw attention!"**

 _'Yeah but I can't ju-'_

"ARGH! You little bitch!"

 _ **SMACK!**_

Naruto's gaze snapped back to the girl and his eyes widened in fear. She was lying face down in the snow while the man stood over her. He held a hand to his side while blood seeped from the apparent wound, staining the pristine snow. He reached to his backside and drew his weapon. "Danzo-sama only said to bring you back alive. He never said you had to be in one piece," the masked man snarled as he pointed the tip-less blade at the girl. Dread slowly began to settle onto her features as the man stalked closer. Naruto ground his teeth together and his hands clenched tightly in frustration as he watched the scene before him unfold.

 _'I can't watch this anymore!'_

 **"Then leave already."**

 _'I have to do something...'_

 **"Damn it Naruto, listen to me! You-"**

 _'No you listen to me!'_ Naruto barked, stunning the beast. _'This is my body! I refuse to sit by and do nothing knowing I can help. That makes me no better than the people who beat on me y'know!'_ Kurama was at a loss for words. There was absolutely no denying he was his parents' son. He inherited his father's indomitable spirit and fierce ambitions, but he took more after his headstrong, impulsive mother. The boy was completely worked up and it would be impossible to talk him down. **"Tch whatever, do what you want."**

The ANBU drew even closer to the girl, and she lashed out with her clawed fingers in response. He easily avoided the attacked kicked her back to the ground. She let out a pained cry that was further amplified when he stomped down her small torso. The girl squirmed and writhed beneath him but the man only pressed down harder with his foot. Her entire body shook with fear when the sound of egregious laughter reached her ears. She snapped her eyes shut and waited for the inevitable.

"Let's see how much of a fight you put up without- ARGH!"

The ANBU was stuck in the chest and stumbled backward, nearly loosing his footing on the icy ground. He looked back to the girl and noticed there was a blond-haired kid standing over her. His eyes widened in realization when he noticed the set of whisker-marks etched into the boy's cheeks. "The Nine-Tails brat!" the man snarled.

Naruto peered over his shoulder at girl, giving her a quick once-over for any severe injuries. "Hey are you okay?" The girl stared back at him, her expression a mixture of awe and apprehension. Naruto turned back to face the ANBU, who had since recovered from the surprise attack. He readied his blade as he leveled a glare at tiny jinchuriki.

"Well, well, well...if it isn't the demon. Today you draw your final breath boy!" The ANBU shot forward, intent on carving into the children with his weapon.

"Heh, we'll see about that," Naruto grinned as he reached into one of the many pockets lining the inside of his jacket. He pulled out a small tag and channeled a fair amount of chakra into his hand. The ANBU slashed at the small blonde, only to overextend his attack. The wound on his side had offset his form and made him sloppy, something that Naruto was quick to capitalize on. He sidestepped the clumsy strike and slapped the tag on the man's mask, causing him to stumble backwards.

"This outta lighten things up a bit!" Naruto laughed.

"Huh?" came the ANBU's intelligent response. "You demon I'll-"

The tag suddenly detonated, bathing the area in light. "My eyes!" The man recoiled and his hands shot to his face, ripping off the mask. Being in such close proximity of the blast had seared his cornea, leaving the man blind. Naruto chuckled to himself at the man's expense before noticing the tanto lying at his side. He shuffled over and collected the blade before cautiously approaching the mewling ANBU to cut the blade's scabbard of off his back. Feeling a presence near him, the ANBU began frantically swinging his arms around him. "Where are you demon?! Wait until I get my hands on you you fucking monster!"

Having collected his prize, Naruto backed away to admire his newest accessory. It would serve him well to have something to protect himself with and he was certain Kurama would at least agree with him on that. It was then a soft cry caught his ear. Suddenly remembering the girl, He ran back over to her. "Hey there are you okay?" Noticing his all all black attire and the sword in his hand, the girl flinched away from him. Her verdant eyes narrowed, staring up at the boy suspiciously as she let out a growl. "Whoa, whoa I'm not going to hurt you promise!" Naruto waved his hands defensively, showing that he meant no harm. He slowly extended his hand towards the girl and offered her a bright smile. The girl blinked, staring back at the boy with a puzzled expression. She searched his cerulean eyes for any signs of deceptions but couldn't find any. They shone with a brilliant luster, drawing her in. She cautiously reached out to accept his hand when a shrill scream pierced the air.

"That's it! I don't care what happens anymore, I'll destroy the both of you," The ANBU barked as he began weaving hand signs. With an attack of this scale, he didn't need to be able to see. _**"Earth Style: Antlion Jutsu!"**_ He drove his hand into the dirt and the ground started to tremble. Naruto felt the the soil beneath him begin to shift and his eyes bulged when it started to spiral in on itself.

' _He's going to bury us alive!'_

Without giving it much thought, Naruto snatched the girl's hand and pulled her close to him. He felt himself starting to sink into the ground and hurriedly shoved her away outside the radius of the rapidly expanding pit, much to the girl's surprise. "Go on get out of here!" He urged the girl. Naruto struggled to climb out of the sinking hole but he couldn't find a solid foothold in the the slush that was softened earth and snow. It wasn't long until he was up to his waist in dirt and the blond spared one last glance at the girl. She was watching him sink with a distraught expression contorting her features. Naruto flashed her one last smile before completely sinking into the ground.

 **"Now look at you. This could've all been avoided but _noooooooooo_ , you just had to go play hero. I hope you're proud of yourself."**

 _'I am actually. I have no regrets. I can die in peace.'_

 **"Good for you, but I can't. I'm taking over."**

Naruto felt chakra surge throughout his body and a cheeky grin spread across his features. _'Oh my hero~! Now make it snappy furball, I'm starting to get woozy. Hurry up and get us out of here already.'_ His grin faded when he heard a sinister chuckle echo from within his head.

 **"We'll see how much you'll be thanking me after this."**

 _'Oi what's that supposed to mean?!'_

* * *

"You mangy furball!"

Naruto awoke with a start. His eyes darted around in a panic, trying to take in his surroundings. The first thing he noticed was that he was surrounded by a throng of trees. "Weird...where the hell am I?" he asked aloud. He couldn't see the village anymore which meant he wasn't anywhere near the Hidden Leaf, but he wasn't exactly sure how far. "Oi you dumb fox where did you take us?"He reached out to his inner companion, but didn't get receive an answer. _'Kurama?'_ Still no response. _'Tch, you picked a fine time to-'_

The sound of a snapping branch drew Naruto's attention. He scanned the immediate vicinity and noticed the tanto stole lying in the snow. He snatched it off the ground and pulled the blade from it's scabbard. Something small and fast darted between his legs, startling the blond. He instinctively jumped back, only to find himself knocked to the ground. "Oof!" Naruto grunted as he crashed head first into the snow. The weight on his back disappeared just as quickly as it came and Naruto was quick to bounce back to his feet. "Hey what's the big idea?!"

Naruto blinked when he saw his assailant. It was the girl from before. She was running around in circles chasing after a small rat. She pounced on the small creature, surprising Naruto with her impressive agility. He was even more surprised when she opened her mouth, revealing a maw full of sharp teeth and swallowed the critter whole. "Hey don't eat that!" he called out. The girl turned to face him with a look of confusion etched onto her face. "That thing could be diseased y'know!" The girl merely tilted her head to the side as she stared at him. "You must not understand me...just my luck," Naruto sighed. It was then he noticed the the rat's tail hanging out of her. He stomped his way through the snow towards her, putting the girl on edge. "Spit it out!" When she saw his reach for her head, the girl snarled. She spit out the small critter and chomped down on the offending appendage.

"OW!" Naruto cried out in pain. He dropped his sword in response and used the now free hand to pat the girl on her head. "I didn't mean to eat me!"

The girl observed the struggling blond apprehensively and was slowly filled with remorse. She released his hand, causing him to fall backwards. Naruto fell on his rear and immediately began to nurse his injured hand. Orange chakra started to seep out of the wound, causing it to sizzle as it began to close up. He threw a glare in the girl's direction and was about to give her a mouthful until he noticed her expression. Her features were crestfallen, as if she were ashamed of her actions. Naruto found himself drawn in by her eyes. The irises were ultramarine with a ringed pattern while her pupils and sclera were a soft shade of red. But what really piqued his interest was the anguish they reflected. He didn't know what exactly, but this girl had been through a lot. And judging by how that ANBU was running her down earlier, it couldn't be anything good. _'She's...like me...'_

"You've got some sharp teeth you know that," He let out a small laugh in an effort to ease the tension. "What's your name anyway?" The girl only blinked and stared back at the boy in confusion. "You know, a name. Everyone has one. Mine's Naruto."

"Na...o?" the girl spoke for the first time, surprising the blond. That at least mean she understood what he was saying, for the most part at least.

"No, no, Naruto." he repeated.

"Nao!" the girl chirped once more.

"Na-ru-to!"

"Nao!"

"You're killing me here y'know..." the blond sighed in defeat. Even if she could understand his words, she didn't seem to be very capable of speech. Naruto spotted an iron shackle encircled around her ankle. He tried to get a closer look but the girl hesitantly backed away. "Whoa, relax. I'm not gonna hurt you, I promise," Naruto said softly as he flashed her a bright smile. She stared down at him apprehensively but his words seemed to put her at ease. Naruto leaned in close and upon closer inspection, he saw the numbers 002 inscribed on the side of the fetter.

"Zero Zero Two? Is that your name or something? Or maybe a code, like Oni? But why are there two zeros though...that's just stupid," The blonde mused. "It should just be Zero Two, or better yet just Two!"

"Eo To!"

"Huh?" Naruto looked up to see the girl staring down at him. "No, wait I didn't mean to actually use it as a name. That's silly."

"Eo To!" The girl parroted.

"No you can't-"

"Eo To! Eo To!"

Naruto sighed one more and finally relented. "Alright, alright, Zero Two it is." Naruto stared at the horned girl with a puzzled expression. He honestly thought it was quite a silly name but she seemed pleased with it, if her smile was any indication. _'Neh Kurama,'_ He tried reaching out to Fox once more but was again met with silence. _'Just great! You pick now of all times to fall asleep on me!'_ It was the only time when he couldn't get a response out of the demon and now he was left to figure out his next move on his own.

Zero Two stood there watching the blond intently, who appeared to be deep in thought. She never knew that there were actually other people in the world. She only knew of the ones with the masks, and she wasn't particularly fond of them. They had kept her locked away in a hole underground. Everyday one of them would come to collect her and they did the most unpleasant things to her body. She would be strapped down to a table and subjected all manners of torture and pain for what seemed like hours. And when all said and done, they would toss her back in a cell, only to begin anew the next day. But the worst of them all was the old man with the bandaged face. How she loathed him.

But this boy, Naruto, was different. He had shown her more kindness in a few minutes than she'd ever known her entire life. And he didn't seem the least bit frightened by her in the slightest. Her mind began to fill with images of the boy from her pretty thing.

"Alright!" Naruto suddenly exclaimed, startling Zero Two. He clapped his hands together before rising to his feet. "Guess I'll just stick to the original plan and head for the Land of Hot Water." If what the old man had told him long ago held any truth, it was a peaceful nation with strong inclinations towards pacifism. It was there that he and Kurama had settled upon migrating to.

All he had to do was make it out of the expansive acreage that was Fire Country. Naruto turned his gaze towards the sky and took into account the position of the sun. It was still relatively early, around 9 if he had to guess which meant he hadn't lost too much time. It wouldn't be long before the village noticed his disappearance and the old man sent a pack of ANBU to hunt him down. "Guess I should really get a move on." Naruto turned to leave only to be stopped when Zero Two grabbed his hand. "Huh? What's th-" He fell silent when he saw her troubled expression. She was hesitant and a little jittery, but above all she was frightened. The amount of sorrow and anguish hidden away behind those malachite orbs made his heart sink.

"You're...all alone too aren't you?" Rather than give a response, not that he was expecting one, Zero Two simply held his gaze. "I'm going far, far away from this place, somewhere safe. Do you want to come with me?" Naruto spoke softly. "I can get you out of here." Zero Two's breath hitched as her hand tightened around his own. Her eyes widened and her face lit up with an ecstatic smile.

"Nao!"

"I'll take that as a yes," Naruto chuckled to himself at her jubilant response. He hadn't originally planned on travelling with anyone else, but at least now he wouldn't be alone. He'd been by himself his entire life so having another person around would be a nice change of pace. Kurama was an age-old construct of chakra given consciousness, so he didn't exactly count him. Turning back to his barefoot companion,a idea suddenly came to mind. "Just one second," Naruto said as she quickly shrugged off his backpack. He reached inside and pulled out a scroll sealing, only to growl in annoyance and stuff it back inside.

Zero Two watched on in a mixture of curiosity and confusion as the blond rummaged around inside of his pack. "Ha! Found it!" Naruto exclaimed, startling her. She watched as he unraveled a small scroll that had marking inscribed all over the parchment. He placed his hand over one such marking and his hand started to glow. A small cloud of smoke puffed up around Naruto's hand and quickly disperse to reveal a pair of black sandals. "I can't let you walk around barefoot. You could get hurt and I'm responsible for you now y'know." Zero Two observed him intently as he took hold of her foot. His touch was firm, yet gentle and warm. It made her heart flutter. Naruto slipped the sandals onto her clawed feet one at a time and fastened the straps, careful not to make them too tight. They were a little big on her, but there was no danger of them slipping off at least.

"There. Now we can-Oof!"

Naruto once again found himself tackled to the ground by the red-skinned girl. Glancing down at the tangled mess of pink-hair, he saw Zero Two nuzzling his chest. Not only had this boy given her a name, but he'd also given her a gift. She looked up at him and grinned brightly. "Nao!" She didn't know where he was going, but she did know that she didn't want to leave his side.

"Glad you like them," Naruto patted her on the head between her horns. "Now what do you say we get out of here?"

"Nao!"

 _'I should probably try teaching her more words while I'm at it...'_

* * *

"God I _hate_ snow," Naruto grumbled to himself as he trudged along the snow-covered path. It had been nearly three weeks now since he'd left the village and the blizzards blanketing the land didn't show any signs of letting up anytime soon. Storms rhythmically swept through the forest which made it even more dangerous to travel. But fortunately there was currently a lull in the weather, making it the perfect opportunity to cover more ground.

"Nao!"

Naruto's eyes snapped forward to Zero Two, who was further ahead of him. She was standing over a pond that rested on the side of the path, frantically pointing down at something in the water below. Naruto could only smile as he watched her bounce on her heels excitedly, beckoning him to come take a look. When they first started out their journey, Zero Two was rather quiet and shy. She kept mostly to herself, not that she exactly had an extensive vocabulary to express herself with. She was incredibly guarded and skittish, reacting to every little sound as if she were expecting some kind of attack. He and her were both quite a like in that regard, or at least his younger self was. The villagers took every opportunity to vent their frustrations out on him so he always kept his head on a swivel. He never knew when an attack was coming but he'd eventually come to expect them. His birthday was a prime example.

But over the last couple days, Zero Two seemed to be steadily breaking out of her shell more and more. It was like this was her very first experience in the outside world. It would certainly make sense when he considered his own first experience outside of the village. Everything was just so unfamiliar and it all piqued his curiosity. Zero Two was the same way. Every little thing drew her attention and she would scamper off to go investigate. Naruto honestly found it endearing to watch and it brought a smile to his face, but at the same time it slowed them down considerably. He was certain that the snowstorms would slow down the ANBU as well, but there was no telling how close they were.

"Zero Two get back over here," He called out to the horned girl. She turned to face him and smiled. Zero Two ran back towards the blond, careful not to slip on the frozen verdure. She slid to a stop in front of him and pointed back towards the pond.

"Nao! Nao!"

Naruto shook his head with an amused grin. "Don't _'Nao'_ me. You're supposed to stay close remember?" Zero Two took hold of his hand and flashed a toothy grin as she pressed herself into his side. Naruto's cheeks flushed and he turned away in an effort to hide his reddening features. "W-Why don't we take a break. I don't know about you but I'm starting to get kind of hungry y'know."

Naruto led her off of the path and over to tall tree hidden away in a small alcove. It's trunk was hollowed out at the base, giving the children a dry place to rest and brief refuge from the frigid winds. Naruto unceremoniously plopped down and Zero Two followed suit as he pulled out the scroll from his bag containing their food. He unsealed two ration bars and Zero Two blanched at the sight of them.

"Hey I don't like them either but it's all we got y'know!" Naruto said exasperatedly as he handed one to Zero Two. She hesitantly accepted the block, sniffing the suspicious comestible before shuddering away in disgust. She reacted the same way every time, not that he could blame her. They weren't particularly appetizing but they kept them from starving. Naruto watched on with an amused expression as Zero Two miserable gnawed away at the ration bar when an idea struck him. He unraveled the scroll even further to reveal another series of seals and activated one of them. Zero Two hovered over his shoulder with piqued interest and was surprised to see a small red box appear out of the scroll.

Naruto popped open the top, revealing a bunch of wafer sticks. He pulled one out and offered it to the rosette. "Say _'Ahh'_ " Naruto said as he opened his mouth wide. Zero Two mimicked the gesture and he placed the honey-coated morsel inside her mouth. She bit down and immediately squealed with delight. Zero Two snatched the rest of it out of the blond's hand and chowed down on it with gusto. "I take it you like sweets," Naruto laughed. He'd been saving the pocky for a special occasion but he didn't see the harm opening it now. And Zero Two certainly seemed to enjoy it so that was a plus.

"Nao."

"Hm?"

Zero Two reached inside her cloak and pulled out a black book. It was rather thin and had a polished image of a woman on the cover. She wore a flowing blue dress and had black skin, long white hair, and a pair of long red horns much like Zero Two's own.

"Hm what's this?" Naruto queried. He was quite surprised that she had managed to carry it with her all this time without him ever noticing. Zero Two stared at it for a brief moment before offering it to him. Whatever it was, it must've meant a lot to her. "Are you sure?" His answer came in the form of an affirmative nod and Naruto graciously accepted the book.

"Well then let's see what we have here," Naruto said as he sat back against the tree and opened it. Zero Two curled up to his side, careful not to poke him with her horns and peered over his shoulder. The pages were full of vibrant, beautiful pictures and there were even words that revealed a story. For once, Naruto was rather glad the old man had insisted so much on him learning how to read.

 _"In the deepest, darkest part of a forest lived a tribe, hidden from all,"_ The blond began. _"They had large wings on their backs and were beautiful, but they were what would be called beasts. Among them was their princess, who had huge, ashed wings. Their law said that once one turned sixteen, they would be allowed to fly outside the forest."_

"Man this story is kinda dark..." Naruto said as he turned to the next page.

 _"And on her sixteenth birthday, the princess took flight to the world beyond the forest. She crossed the steep mountains and the surging rivers and reached the world of humans. The moon shone brightly in the sky. She landed in a castle garden, where she found a young man gazing up at the moon. the princess hid in the bushes and stared at the young man, and for the first time, love bloomed in her heart. But he was clearly of a different race. A beast and a human could never be together."_

"Neh, this picture book is pretty and all Zero Two, but the story is kinda sad y'know," Naruto commented as he turned the page again.

 _"And so, the princess went to see a witch who lived in the same forest and said, "I want to live as a human. I want to be united with him." The witch replied like so: "I can help you if you offer me your wings. But keep this in mind. No matter how you disguise yourself, you are a beast, and you will consume the prince's life one day." The princess ripped off her wings and was assaulted by pain far more intense than she had ever felt. She could never fly again. Even so, she smilled happily, with tears of joy streaming down her face. "I'm human! I'm human! I'm the same as him now!"_

Naruto paused for a moment. While he understood the princess's motivations, he didn't agree with her methods. She shouldn't have to change herself for the sake of someone else. The Old Man was always telling him that love blooms when one person acknowledges another's faults and flaws, and accepts them regardless.

"Naaao," Zero Two pouted, nudging his shoulder. Naruto smiled as she poked him with one of her horns, urging him to continue reading. Her appearance was quite monstrous, or at least by normal people's standards. Hell, he looked normal and everyone in the village treated him like he was less than human. He could only imagine what people would think of Zero Two. Sure, she was rather feral at times and and had bestial tendencies, but for the most part she was a very cheerful and extremely curious girl. When he actually thought about it, their similarities ran deeper than he'd originally thought.

Undoubtedly, if anyone ever saw her they would react in fear given her devilish appearance, which was the exact reason he'd made sure they strayed far away from any towns. No one outside of the Hidden Leaf knew about Kurama being sealed within him, so he would be able to intermingle with the masses just fine. But the sight alone of Zero Two would incite mass panic and the Hidden Leaf would breathing down their necks in no time. Knowing Kurama, had he not been hibernating, he would've told him to ditch the horned girl long ago. He had to admit that the idea had its merits, but he just couldn't bring himself to do so. That would make him just as bad, if not worse than the villagers.

"Nao!"

Naruto found himself rattled out his thoughts when Zero Two grabbed his shoulder and shook him vehemently.

"Alright, Alright, I'm sorry," He chuckled, making the rosette pout. He patted her on the head before turning his attention back to the book. "Now, where was I..."

 _"The princess once again set out for the land of humans, this time on foot. In the desert, she spotted a group of people. "Oh no! Is there anyone who can help him?!" There lay a young man, his leg bitten by a snake. The princess rushed to his side and sucked the venom out from his wound. "Thank you, o brave lady. I am the prince of these lands." It was the same young man she had met in the castle._

 _"I owe my life to you. Please marry me."_

 _A wedding ceremony was held soon after. The priest asked the princess, clad in a wedding dress of pure white, "Do you vow to be true to him in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health, until death do you part?"_

 _"I do." The two exchanged rings, and when the priest said so, they sealed their vows with a kiss. And cheers rang out across the land. "Bless the brave girl who saved our prince's life!" The while kingdom celebrated their marri-"_

"O-Oi Zero Two!"

The rosette let out a rhapsodic squeal, nearly climbing into Naruto's lap as she pointed at the colorful picture on the page. The prince was kneeling before the princess in her elegant dress, holding her hand while the entire page was lit up by her radiant smile. "What, marriage?" Naruto's eyebrow rose in confusion. Suddenly it all clicked.

"That's why you've been carrying-"

"Well, well, well...what do we have here?"

Both children froze at the sound of the voice. Naruto's eyes snapped forward, landing on a burly figure. It was a large and extremely gruff looking man. His head was void of any hair, save for his thick eyebrows and the stubble of a beard that sprouted about his lower face. He had piercing orange eyes and a scar that ran through the right one and down onto his cheek. The scratched off headband that hung around his next was a clear indication that he was a missing-nin. "Aren't you two all nice and cozy."

Zero Two growled, clutching tightly onto Naruto's shoulder while said blond's eyes narrowed at the man. "We don't want any trouble mister."

"That's too bad, Trouble happens to be my middle name," the man laughed heartily.

"Look, we don't have any money or food, so you're wasting your time," Naruto lied. The Hokage gave him a stipend every month for food which he had been steadily saving up for the trip. It wasn't much, but it would cover his food costs. At least it would have had he been traveling alone.

"Well that's no good," the man frowned before grinning devilishly. "I was willing to let you two go after taking your belongings on the account you're still kids. But if that's the case I might as well rid the world of such useless brats." The reached behind his back and brandished a large, curved knife.

Naruto felt his muscles seizing up one more at the sight of the blade. Zero Two tensed up as well and her clawed fingers dug into Naruto's shoulder, breaking him out of his asphyxia. "Don't worry Zero Two, you can always count on me to protect you!" He glanced over his shoulder, reassuring her with a smile.

"Well ain't that precious! You got guts kid, I'll give you that," The man roared with laughter. "But it won't be enough to save you here." Children or not, they'd had seen his face and he couldn't take any chances. He was a wanted man after all.

"W-Wait a minute mister!" Naruto pleaded as he help up his hands, halting the man in his tracks. "Okay the thing is we're looking for treasure. And it's somewhere close by."

"Treasure? What kind of half-brained idiot to you take me for boy?!" The man spat.

"N-No we were, honest! Right Zero Two?!" The blonde insisted as his roseate companion nodded her head emphatically. "We learned in a small town not too far away from here that a group of bandits was been terrorizing the area. We don't have much so we figured that we could find their hideout and just wait until they left to go rob more people. Then we'd take all their stuff. If you let us go, I'll give you the map I've drawn up of the area." Naruto hurriedly explained.

The man's eyes narrowed as he eyed the two children critically. He'd just crossed into this neck of the woods less than an hour ago so he hadn't heard anything about bandits, but it certainly wasn't outside the realm of possibility. If what they're saying was true, then that would be an easy payday for him and he could easily lay low for months with a sizable cache of ryo. Hell, maybe even escape across the sea. "Alright kid...I'll bite. Show me this map of yours. If it checks out, I'll let you go. But only if we find this hideout."

"Sure thing mister. You can even have all of the treasure," Naruto laughed nervously as he reached in to his bag and pulled out a large, folded piece of paper. He took hold of Zero Two's hand in his own and cautiously led her towards the man. "I've marked all nearby caves and abandoned houses we've came across so far. I don't know how much help it'll be, but it may help narrow the search and shed some light on where the bandits are hiding," Naruto said as he handed over the paper.

"For your sake, you'd better hope it does brat," the man snatched it away, keeping a watchful eye on the children as he unfolded the map. Confusion settled onto his features as he stared at the mostly blank sheet. Rather than a map of the surrounding area, there was a single slip of sealing paper in the center of the parchment. It immediately ignited, filling the man with dread. _'You have to be fucking ki-'_

The entire grove was drowned in a sudden flash of white.

* * *

Naruto couldn't help but chuckle to himself as he ran. He was really glad he stole those flash tags. With how much mileage he was getting out of them even Kurama wouldn't complain about them.

"N-Nao!"

"Just bear with it for now Zero Two," Naruto pleaded as he hoisted his companion higher up onto his back in an effort to keep her from slipping. Just before the tag he rigged went off, he scooped the red girl on to his back and made a break for the trees. Naruto's physical prowess was exceptionally high compared to other children his age, thanks in part to having a tailed beast sealed within him, so carrying Zero Two was hardly a problem for him. The real struggle came in keeping a firm grip on the squirming rosette. He could feel her anxiety just by how tightly she had her arms encircled around his neck but there wasn't much he could do to ease her worries until he was certain they had made a clean escape. Naruto vaulted over a small cluster of shrubbery only to gasp in shock. Rather than flat land, there was a sharp drop downhill. "Oh crap!"

The blonde cursed his luck as he lost his footing upon landing and the two were sent tumbling through the thick shrubbery that lined the steep slope. Naruto quickly shifted his position as best he could and cradled Zero Two in his arms. They continued to roll unceremoniously downhill, all the while Naruto held the rosette in a protective embrace. The pair crashed through bramble of bushes and their chaotic tumble came to an abrupt halt when they collided with an unsuspecting figure.

"Gah!"

Zero Two let out a pained groan as she slowly opened her eyes. The fall had left her severely disoriented and it took her a moment to regain her bearings. She lifted her head and noticed she was straddling her blonde companion. Her eyes widened when she noticed he was unconscious. "Nao!" She desperately shook his torso in an effort to awaken the blond.

"What the hell?!"

The rosette was suddenly gripped in fear when she realized they weren't alone. Her eyes snapped forward and landed on the potential aggressor. It was slender woman of above-average height with large breasts and shoulder length blonde hair that was tied in two loose ponytails. She was clad in grass-green haori and a grey, kimono-style blouse that revealed a sizable amount of her cleavage. It was held closed by a broad, dark bluish-grey obi that matched her pants. Her sharp hazel eyes bore down on the children in a mixture of annoyance and confusion. A moan drew Zero Two's attention and she caught sight of another body pinned beneath Naruto's own. It was a younger woman with short black hair and and bangs that framed her face. She was dressed in a midnight blue kimono with white trimmings. There was a small pig hovering worriedly around her head.

"Shizune are you alright?" The blonde woman approached, causing the red girl to tense up. Zero Two growled at the woman, which only seemed to further annoy her. "What the hell is wrong with you kids?! You-"

Her words died in her throat when she noticed the unconscious Naruto. _'Looks like he took a nasty hit to the head...might even have a concussion,'_ she analyzed. She reached for the comatose blond only to pull away when Zero Two nearly bit her hand. The woman glared at the horned girl, who met her gaze with equal fervor. Zero Two possessively held Naruto's body close to her own as she stared back at the woman defiantly. It made the woman think of a mama bear protecting her cub. Giving the two children another quick glance over, she took in their battered appearances and her steeled expression slowly began to soften up. They looked like they'd been through hell, especially given how the girl was vibrating with uncertainty.

The woman sighed tiredly as she brought a hand to her forehead. She was normally good about keeping to her own devices and not meddling in the affairs of others, but this she could not ignore. The medic ethos that was so deeply ingrained into her being wouldn't allow it. Looking back at the children, she saw the girl was still growling, causing yet another sigh to escape the woman.

 _'I'm going to need more sake...and soon...'_


	12. 012

**_012_**

"Ugh my head..."

A pained groan escaped Naruto as he slowly regained consciousness. His head was throbbing much like that time he'd been struck with a steel pipe, albeit much worse. As he blinked away the last traces of sleep from his eyes, Naruto tried to sit up only to notice a weight on his chest.

A quick glance downward revealed a mess of pink locks tangled around two sharp horns covering his chest. Zero Two was curled into a ball at his side, using him as a pillow while she snoozed away peacefully. He couldn't help but chuckle as he gently ran his fingers through her hair.

"Finally awake I see."

Naruto's heart skipped a beat at the sudden voice and his eyes immediately darted to the source. He was surprised to see a buxom woman with long blonde hair. "Relax kid, I'm not going to hurt you."

Her voice was soft and sincere, which helped to ease the smaller blond's nerves. He couldn't shake the feeling that he had seen her face somewhere before, but he couldn't quite place it. Naruto shifted himself into a sitting position and rested Zero Two's Head in his lap, careful not to wake her. He glanced around and noticed they were in a small cabin of sorts. The last thing he remembered was tumbling down a hill after running away from that missing-nin. "What happened...?"

"You and the red one came out of nowhere and knocked out my apprentice," the woman replied dryly as she gestured behind her. Naruto peeked around her side and saw a girl passed out on another bed.

"We did that?"

"Yes, you did. Now care to explain yourself," she spoke again, irately folding her arms across her busty chest.

"There was this missing-nin...he tried to rob us so we ran away. I wasn't paying attention and we ended up falling down a hill. I don't remember much at that," Naruto explained.

"I see," the woman nodded. That certainly explained a lot. "What are you kids doing running around in weather like this? Your parents must be worried sick."

"I'm sure they would be if they were around. They died the day I was born..." Naruto replied solemnly.

"Oh...I'm sorry, I didn't know," the woman said, feeling a bit of remorse for the boy. Being orphaned was never an easy thing, especially at such a young age. But there was something still bothering her, something she needed to confirm. "Even still, there must've been an orphanage that took you in right?"

"Ha!" Naruto scoffed with laughter. "They kicked me out a year ago and the old man had to give me a place of my own."

"Softy Sarutobi...he's still stuck in his old ways I see," the woman snorted, making Naruto's eyes bulge in surprise.

"Wait you knew the old man?!"

"You could say that. But I've long since cut my ties with the Hidden Leaf," the woman shrugged.

It was at that moment the younger blond was struck with realization. "I knew I'd seen you somewhere before! You're that woman in the picture he keeps on his desk. The one with the pervert and creepy pale guy. Er...Tsunami! No that's not right. Tsu...Tsubaki? No no, T-"

"Tsunade," the woman corrected him.

"Yeah! You're one of the Legendary Sannin!" Naruto exclaimed.

"Those days are long behind me kid. I want to know what the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki is doing so far away from the village," Tsunade stared at him critically.

"Wait...how do you know about that?" Naruto visibly flinched.

"I have my sources," she replied evenly. Truth be told, news of the demon's attack on the village a few years ago spread like wildfire through out the nation. It was only thanks to her old teammate Jiraiya that she knew the full story. He still sent her letters in an effort to keep in contact, but she never once offered a reply.

He told her about how someone had instigated the attack, which in turn led to the beast being released from the current Jinchuriki at the time, the boy's mother. His father, the Fourth Hokage, managed to relocate the beast away from the village but ultimately sacrificed himself to seal the Tailed Beast within his own son. It was a cruel fate to be thrust upon anyone. Just looking at the boy now he was practically a spitting image of Minato with Kushina's round face.

"I'm not going to rat you out Naruto. I'm just curious is all," Tsunade said after noticed how much her words shook the poor boy.

"Man you even know my name...your sources must really be good!" Naruto said in awe.

 _'He's a disgusting ingrate and a filthy pervert, but he's still one of the best around,'_ Tsunade thought dryly.

"Do you uh...do you know what it's like to be hated by everyone? Like, absolutely loathed. The mere sight of you just enrages people beyond reason. And for something beyond your control at that. Well, I got sick of being the village punching bag. They can find a new pariah," Naruto scoffed.

 _'A runaway huh? Understandable,_ ' the Sannin nodded. His reasoning to leave was much more sound than her own. She could only imagine the kind of torment the smaller blond had been subjected to. But she knew the higher ups in the village too well. The disappearance of their prized Jinchuriki would cause major problems. Bringing him back to the village would be at the top of their priority list. Hiruzen of course, would do it for the boy's safety. If word got out that the Leaf's jinchuriki, and such a young one at that, went AWOL then a whole new manner of hardships would befall the troubled lad. But the one he had to worry about the most resided within the village itself.

"So what's her story?" Tsunade inquired, pointing towards the slumbering rosette.

"Zero Two? I sort of picked her up along the way." Naruto shrugged as he continued to run his fingers through her hair.

"Zero...Two...?"

"It's a long story ok," Naruto let out a sigh. "But I came across her as I was leaving the village. She was running away from this ANBU, though he wasn't like any I had ever seen before."

 _'Root...that old buzzard is still up to his schemes,'_ Tsunade growled internally. She never understood why the Hokage kept a monster like Danzo around. Men like him were the most dangerous of all when left to their own devices. And worst of all, Sarutobi was content to just turn a blind eye.

"Anyway, I saved her and we've been traveling together ever since y'know," Naruto said as he smiled down at his companion.

"Coming to a girl's rescue. Quite the little charmer you are," Tsunade grinned, watching the boy turn the same shade as Zero Two. "Now I see why she was so fiercely protective of you. She nearly bit my hand off earlier."

"I'm sorry about that. If it makes you feel better, she actually _did_ bite me when we first met," Naruto offered a sheepish laugh. "Though to be fair, the first person we encountered after weeks tried to rob and kill us. I don't know much about Zero Two's past, but considering how scared she was in front of that ANBU I can only assume she's had it as rough as I have."

"What's up with her anyway? She just kept repeating "Nao" over and over again, which I assume she was referring to you," Tsunade queried.

"Yeah...she's not much of a talker. I've been doing my best to try teaching her new words but she's mostly just been interested in taking in the sights," Naruto chuckled.

"I see..." Tsunade nodded as she observed the shackle encircling the girl's leg. If Danzo and his goons had a part in Zero Two's upbringing then it definitely explained her defensive reaction. God knows what kind of horrors the child had faced at their mercy. A soft mewling stirred her from her thoughts and she looked up to see the object of her most recent reflections stirring awake.

Zero Two let out a yawn and blinked tiredly as she returned to the world of the living. She felt a soft scratching on her scalp that caused her to pur contently She looked up to see Naruto smiling down at her. "Morning sleepyhead. Though I guess techn-"

"Nao!"

The rosette shot forward suddenly, throwing her arms around the blond's neck and pulling him into a tight embrace. Her soft whimpers caught his ear and Naruto could tell just how shaken up she was by the whole ordeal. She had probably assumed the worst. He'd at least had Kurama to keep him company over the years but Zero Two had no one. He gently ran his hand across he back in an effort to calm her down. "Sorry to worry you like that Zero Two."

She pulled away slightly and used the sleeve of her cloak to wipe the tears away from her eyes. After all this time alone, drowning in despair, she'd finally found someone to remain at her side and traverse the darkness. She couldn't bear the thought of losing her one and only light.

Naruto patted Zero Two on the head between her horns, causing the girl to pout. "I told you I'm responsible for you now. It'll take a lot more than a bump on the head to get rid of me y'know!"

Zero Two pulled away from his touch and gnashed away at his fingers with her sharp teeth. "Oi!" Naruto yelped, pulling his hand back to a safe distance. "I said no biting!" He snapped at the rosette, to which she responded by sticking out her tongue. She was always nipping at him and even if it was playful, it still hurt like hell when she managed to catch him. "Bad Zero Two!" Naruto pointed a finger at the horned girl. Zero Two snorted and lunged at the offending appendage. Naruto evaded her once more and was forced to tackle Zero Two onto the bed, causing the girl to squeal with delight.

Tsunade felt her heart swell ever so slightly and a small smile settled upon her features as she watched the two brats wrestle around. Their exceptionally strong bond and love for one another was clear as day, even if they weren't quite aware of it themselves yet. It would be a shame when the cruel enigma that was life finally decided to rear its ugly head in their affairs. Not that it really mattered to her.

"Ow! Don't poke me with your horns! That's not fair!" Naruto cried out.

"Hn!" came Zero Two's grunted response.

"You two certainly are lively ones," Tsunade commented with a smirk. Zero Two finally noticed the woman's presence and immediately hid behind Naruto. She peered over his shoulder and stared warily at the Sannin.

"Hey there no need to be afraid," Naruto reassured her. "Tsunade-bāchan is pretty nice y'know."

"Bāchan?!" The Elder blonde snapped. "I'm not that old you brat!"

"Eh?!" Naruto blanched. "The old man said that picture was like 20 years old! Are you using a genjutsu or something?"

"I don't have to explain myself to you brat!" Tsunade retorted. "You seem to be well enough so I'll let you two stay the night, but tomorrow you're on your own!" She turned her back to the children in an effort to hide her reddening features. She had done her Good Samaritan deed for the month as far as she was concerned.

"Alright that's fair. You went out of your way to help us when you didn't have to so we're eternally grateful. Thanks Bāchan!" Naruto said, offering a deep bow. Zero Two was confused by his actions but copied him nonetheless. She still thought the woman was rather terrifying, but she did help Naruto.

"Tch, whatever. You're welcome I guess," the disgruntled blonde scoffed. The little shit had called her old again, but he at least had enough manners to express gratitude. God she hated kids. They had no respect for their elders. "Just try to keep it down will you," Tsunade said before walking away.

"No problem! You won't even know we're here!" Naruto flashed her a bright smile.

"Nao!"

He felt a tug on his arm and turned to face Zero Two. She was holding her picture book in her hands and looking up at him expectantly. "Oh right, we never did finish," he said as he accepted the book from her. Zero Two was quick to cuddle up to his side and make herself comfortable as Naruto flipped back to the page where they had left off. "Alright let's see, where were we...ah yes!"

 _""I do." The two exchanged rings, and when the priest said so, they sealed their vows with a kiss. And cheers rang out across the land. "Bless the brave girl who saved our prince's life!" The whle kingdom celebrated their marriage."_

"Mari?" Zero Two inquired.

"Yeah marriage, it's...well...it's-" Naruto was actually thrown for a loop on this one. Even he didn't completely understand the concept of marrriage, only that it was something for adults. His eyes fell on Tsunade, who was busy tending to her apprentice. "Oi, Bāchan! What's marriage?"

The older blonde's eyebrows twitched in annoyance at yet another quip at her age, but she managed to force down the obscenities rising in her throat. "Marriage is the binding union between two people," she replied dryly.

"You mean like a contract?"

"Something like that. Both parties pledge their lives to one another and honor a set of vows established between them, such as sticking together through thick and thin and remaining faithful to one another. It's usually done out of love but there are cases where it's been used to advance a political agenda," Tsunade explained.

"Ah...I see now!" Naruto nodded. It was basically promising to spend your life with someone else. His attention returned to the book and he continued to read.

 _"Humans! Humans! They have neither the wings to fly nor the claws or fangs to hunt. Such weak and frail creatures, but they are so, so warm. Humans are wonderful!"_

 _After the wedding, she lived happily as the princess of a human land. She supported the prince in his work, traveled the world, and saw oceans studded with glints of sapphire, sparkling grasslands, and auroras that swayed like raging flames._

 _The princess took the prince's hand said to him with a smile on her face, "Grab on to me and never let go, Darling!"_

"Darin..." Zero Two whispered with a slight yawn. She liked the sound and it caused her face to light up with a smile.

 _"But the princess's happiness was short-lived,"_ Naruto read on.

 _"She woke up one night to a pain that threatened to rend her asunder and found her body turning into that of a beast. "Why? I asked you to make me human!" On her back were jet-black wings, tearing through her flesh and skin to spread. "Using magic comes at a price. You've attained plenty of happiness as a human. Now, it is time for you to lose yourself and turn into an ugly monster," the witch of the forest whispered to her. "However, if you kill the person you love most, you will be freed of your curse and return to the beast you originally were."_

"Man this story just keeps getting darker..." Naruto mumbled as he turned the page.

 _"The princess gazed at her beloved prince as her claws reached for his throat. She loved him more than anything and anyone, but the desire to rip his neck apart welled up inside her. As she desperately tried to clench her fist and stop herself, her claws dug into her skin, and blood started gushing out._

 _"If I kill the prince, I will be freed of this curse..." With tears streaming down her face, she kissed the prince on the cheek._

 _When the prince awoke, the princess was no longer beside him. Instead, the bed was covered in jet-black feathers._

 _In profound sadness, the prince searched all across the land for her. But nobody had seen the princess."_

"Wait, what..." Naruto blinked in surprised after reading the last page. _'That's such a stupid ending y'know! Why get her hopes up about becoming human and just snatch it away! Who wrote this crap?!'_ And sure enough, the author's name was nowhere to be found on the cover or within the pages of the book.

"Neh Zero...Two..." His voice died out when he noticed the girl was sound asleep. He gave her shoulder a gentle shove and she responded by swatting his hand away.

"Da...rin..." The rosette mumbled, a cheesy grin splitting her face.

"Heh...guess she's still pretty tired," he smiled as he ruffled her hair. _'Maybe it's best she didn't hear the ending.'_

"That's a pretty sad story kid." Naruto's gaze turned to the far side of the room where he spotted Tsunade sitting in a chair with a small pig in her lap. "Not exactly ideal for children."

"You're telling me ha!" Naruto laughed. "But this book seems pretty important to Zero Two."

"You know, I was honestly quite surprised to see you two together. Given how-"

"She looks like a monster right?" Naruto interrupted her, narrowing his eyes at the older blonde.

"Well if we are being frank, then yes," Tsunade replied. "Most people tend to fear what they can't understand, especially children. But with adults, that fear festers into a hatred."

"I know exactly what you mean..." Naruto sighed, turning his attention back to the slumbering rosette. "When I first saw her, I didn't see a monster. I saw a girl in trouble. I couldn't just sit by and watch knowing I had the power to help," he said, surprising the Sannin with his response.

"You know, for a flippant little brat, you're quite mature for your age Naruto." It seemed took after his father in more than just appearance alone.

"Yeah well, I have a giant demon fox sealed in my gut so who am I to judge?" Naruto snorted out a laugh. "It wasn't until we started traveling together that I realized Zero Two and I are a lot alike. We're both have no parents, or even loved ones for that matter. It's hard y'know. Being alone in the world, regarded as nothing more than Demons..."

Tsunade felt her heart sank as she watched the boy stare fondly at his companion. He was clearly love stricken, even if he had quite realized it himself yet. Just looking at him reminded her of-

 _'No!'_ Tsunade checked her wandering thoughts. _'No good will come of bringing up painful memories.'_ The past was was unforgiving and unchanging. There was point dwelling on it. "I see...well I hope you're prepared for the consequences."

Naruto's head tilted as he stared back at her in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"This bond that you have forged...with all the good, just as much bad will come of it. The trials of life will constantly try it, slowly chipping away until it eventually shatters. The question is whether or not it's strong enough to withstand the tests of time. So again...you'd best be prepared.

Naruto was shocked, but he knew deep down that there was truth to her words. Hell, even now they were being hunted down just for trying to make a better life for themselves. But his entire life had been nothing but trials and tribulations and he had managed to make it this far by himself. At least now he wouldn't have to go through it alone.

"You're right...it's even happening right now. Life has been baring down on me since before I could remember, like a little kid standing over an ant mound with a magnifying glass. But it hasn't gotten to me yet! I'll forge my own path and smash anything life throws our way, and with my bare hands if I have to!" Naruto proclaimed fiercely.

Tsunade was left astonished by his passionate outburst. Even after going through so much, Naruto manage to keep a strong will and high spirited mindset, which was impressive at his age. Maybe those two would turn out alright after all. _Maybe._

"Has anyone ever told you how annoying you are?" She smirked.

"All the time!" Naruto grinned.

"Well you should follow you're little girlfriend's lead and get some rest. I don't know where you're headed, but the road ahead must be quite long." Tsunade advised him.

"Er...you're right. I probably should," he eyed the woman suspiciously. What exactly did she mean by "girlfriend"? Sure, Zero Two was a girl and his friend, but Tsunade bore a smirk when she said it, which led him to believe the word had further implications that were lost on him.

He decided not to dwell on it and proceeded to make himself comfortable on the bed. Zero Two stirred slightly at the shift in movement and snuggled even closer into his side. "Nao..." she mewled tiredly.

Naruto smiled as he wrapped an arm around her shoulder and stared up at the ceiling. Tsunade's words played over in his head again and it was at that moment he came to a realization. He needed Zero Two just as much as she needed him. He was going to stay by her side for as long as she would allow him, though he had a feeling she wouldn't let him leave even if he wanted to. Whatever challenges came their way, they would face together. He spare one last glance at the sleeping girl before closing his eyes. _'Don't worry Zero Two. I won't anything or anyone come between us. And that's the promise of a lifetime!'_

* * *

Naruto couldn't suppress the shudder that racked his small frame as he frigid morning air hit his skin. Zero Two popped up at his side and flashed a toothy grin. At least one of them wasn't bothered by the cold it seemed. The sound of movement behind them caught his ear and he turned to see Tsunade standing in the doorway to the cabin. At her side was her apprentice, who's name he learned was Shizune.

"Thanks again for everything Bāchan. We are in your debt!" Naruto beamed, completely ignorant of the Sannin's twitching eye. "And sorry about crashing into you yesterday Shizune-nēsan," he bowed to the older girl.

"Oh it's fine, really. I'm just glad both of you are okay. That must have been quite the fall."

"Sure was. But I'm a lot tougher than I look y'know!" Naruto exclaimed, pumping his fist excitedly. His grin quickly dispersed when he finally noticed Tsunade bearing down on him with an irate expression, no doubt annoyed at the quip at her age. "A-Anyway we should probably get going. Places to go, sights to see!"

"Yeah you do that," Tsunade said flatly.

Naruto grabbed Zero Two's hand and made a break for it, surprising the rosette. He threw one last look over his shoulder and grinned obnoxiously at the two women. "Until we meet again Shizune-nē, _Bāchan_!"

Tsunade's face contorted with rage at the saucy inflection in his tone and she had half a mind to throw a tree at the little brat.

"Well they certainly were a lively duo. Are you sure it's a good idea to just let them run off on their own? They're only kids after all," Shizune queried as she watched Naruto and Zero Two run off into the distance.

"Tch, I'm not a babysitter Shizune."

"I know but still..."

"Look, if they want to run away like some star-crossed lovers, that's on them. I have a my own matters to be concerned with," the busty medic scoffed as she turned to head back inside. "Now come on. We have to to get to Tanzaku before the casinos close. I'm feeling lucky today!"

The teen could only let out a groan before following her master inside. "Yes ma'am..."

* * *

 ** _ACHOO!_**

Naruto groaned as he use his scarf to wipe his nose. He was eternally grateful that he remember to pack it. God he hated the winter and it's just had to come early this year. Snow blanketed the land and the temperature plummeted to unsavory levels, giving the wind an icy bite to it. Naruto shuddered as a gale swept through the frozen forest and tightened his scarf. 'Stupid snow...' he grumbled to himself as he trudged along the beaten path.

They had been traveling for about half a day already and it wasn't until an hour ago he noticed just how low they were on supplies. They could last about another two days before their rations ran out and the blond realized they would have no choice but to stop in a town to restock up on food. He wasn't looking forward to the task but there was no avoiding it.

Glancing ahead, he caught sight of his traveling companion. Zero Two was currently chasing after a rabbit a few paces ahead of him. Her fiery skin shone like a beacon against the ivory landscape and her long, sanguine tresses fluttered behind her like a cape of sakura petals. Naruto could only shake his head with a sigh. She was always running off despite his warnings. As if somehow sensing his frustration, Zero Two suddenly turned to face him, a bright smile lighting up her features. "Nao!"

Naruto's eyes widened when she broke out into a sprint. He quickly set his feet to catch the barreling rosette but gasped when she lost her footing. Zero Two tumbled ungracefully across the frozen landscape and slid to a stop just in front of him.

Naruto quickly rushed to her side while Zero Two sat up with a pained groan. He noticed a rather nasty scrape on her knee, but what shocked him the most was her blood. Rather than a deep crimson, it was a vibrant shade of blue. 'Huh...that's interesting.' He quickly refocused his thoughts and knelt down to examine the injury. It wasn't particularly severe but it might give her some trouble walking for a while.

"What am I going to do with you?" Naruto shook his head at the rosette, who grinned sheepishly at him. "We have to find a way to stop the bleeding..." It never occurred to him to pack any medical supplies since Kurama's chakra always healed him and he didn't have the presence of mind to ask Tsunade for any before they went their separate ways.

 **"Just lick it."**

"GAH!" Naruto suddenly screamed, startling Zero Two. "Don't do that Kurama!"

 **"Well maybe if you weren't such a scaredy cat!"**

"Oi! I am not a scaredy cat!"

A bewildered Zero Two stared at the blond. Just who exactly was he talking to.

 **"Look, you said you're looking for a way to stop the bleeding. Lick the wound."** Kurama reiterated.

"What?! I'm not a mangy mutt like you!"

 **"Ok then smartass. Not only does licking wounds clean them, saliva contains tissue factors which help the blood clotting process. Unless you have any other bright ideas, then be my guest. You might want to hurt before an infection sets in."**

Naruto scoffed in annoyance at the fox's condescending tone. Unfortunately, he didn't have any better suggestions at the moment. He looked Zero Two in the eye and gave her a pleading look. "Okay this might be a little weird but just bare with it for now."

Zero Two's head tilted in confusion, but her face immediately heated up when Naruto stuck out his tongue and began running it across the scrape on her knee.

 _'Hm...kinda tangy,'_ the blonde found himself thinking.

 **"Just why exactly is this girl still around anyway?"** Kurama inquired gruffly.

 _'Oi, you don't get to just come in asking question after clocking out for a while month!'_ Naruto retorted.

 **"Well _excuse me_ for trying to save your sorry ass. Do you have any idea how that jutsu sank you into the ground? Were it not for my chakra shrouding your body, you would've been crushed to death!"**

 _'Oh cut the crap! If I die, you're tagging along right after me. You were only saving yourself.'_

 **"Exactly. All the times I've saved you and not an ounce of gratitude."**

 _'Urgh...thank you Kurama, the almighty Nine-Tailed Demon Fox. Your strength is unrivaled and I am forever in your debt,'_ Naruto tolled his eyes.

 **"You forgot all-powerful."**

 _'You know what-'_

 **"The girl. Who is she? You did almost get us killed trying to save her."**

 _'Zero Two is a friend and she going to traveling around with us from now on. It's nonnegotiable,'_ Naruto replied.

 **"Tch, whatever. Do what you want,"** Kurama snorted out a response. He could already tell the boy was going to be stubborn about it and arguing with him would only lead to a migraine. If anything, it gave Naruto someone else to talk to so that he wasn't always pestering him.

As Zero Two watched Naruto tend to her injury, her heart began to swell with an unfamiliar emotion. She noticed her picture book lying in the snow beside her, flipped open to the page of the wedding. The prince was kneeling before the princess and they were both smiling happily. Could this be the same feeling the princess felt when she first saw the prince? One thing she did know for sure was that she wanted to stay with Naruto forever.

"Mari?"

"Huh?" Naruto ceases his ministrations to meet Zero Two's gaze. She was pointing at her picture book that my was sprawled out on the snow. He was surprised to see it open, and conveniently to the scene of the royal wedding at that. "Mari?" Zero Two asked once more, her meek voice filled with expectancy this time.

 **"Well shit..."** Kurama blinked. Things were starting to take an odd turn of events. Just what the hell had he missed in the last month?!

Naruto's eyes shifted between her and the book multiple times, before finally settling on the horned girl. _'So that's what this is about huh?'_ He chuckled to himself. "Sure thing Zero Two," the blond smiled, causing her to let out a small gasp. "I want to be with you forever too y'know. We'll go far away from here and see all kind of cool places, like the ocean. And then I'll be your _Darling_."

 **"Oh god...I think I'm gonna be sick,"** Kurama groaned. This was like Minato and Kushina getting engaged all over again.

Naruto managed to successfully tune the beast out, but the sound of sniveling caught his ear and he noticed Zero Two had tears pooling in her eyes. "Da...Da..." She short forward, catching Naruto by surprise and collapsed onto his chest.

"Oi, oi what's wrong?" He asked worriedly as the rosette sobbed into his jacket. He sat there just holding her as she cried it out. It took Zero Two a few minutes to recompose herself, and after drying her face she smiled up at him. Naruto was relieved that he hadn't made her sad, and that they were in fact tears of happiness. "I meant it Zero Two. You and me against the world. It's the promise of a lifetime!" He grinned.

 **"Humans are so gross..."**

 _'Oi! Nobody asked yo-'_

"Well, well, well...looks like we finally found you brats."


	13. 013

_**013**_

* * *

The two children were gripped with fear at the sound of the chilling voice. A hooded figure phased into sight in front of them while two more fell down from the treetops. Naruto eyes widened when he saw the squad of ANBU, but what was most troubling was the fact that they weren't dressed in the traditional attire.

"That's the target alright," came a feminine voice from behind the owl mask. "We even managed to catch the Nine-Tails as well."

"I told you today was our lucky day," the boar mask spoke in a much deeper tone. "Two birds, one stone."

Naruto quickly shuffled away from the group, ensuring to keep Zero Two behind him. He glanced over his shoulder to see she was absolutely paralyzed with fear at the sight of the fake ANBU. _'Crap this is bad!'_ He mentally cursed.

 **"I'll say."**

 _'You're not helping Kurama!'_

"Now all's that's left to do is return Danzō-sa-"

"You won't lay a finger on her!" Naruto snarled. "If you want Zero Two, you're gonna have to go through me!"

"Oh? He's even given it a name!" the boar-masked ANBU howled with laughter. "You got any bite to go with that bark brat?"

"Careful Boar," The last one, donning a hawk mask, warned. "This is the Nine-Tails we're dealing with after all."

"I just want to play with it a little bit. Neh, Neh, what do you say Captain? That missing-nin was hardly a snack."

"God you're such a pig..." Owl scoffed.

"You flatter me."

"Enough," Hawk silenced them. "We don't have time for games Boar. Grab the brats and let's go already."

"Welp, you heard the man," Boar turned his attention back to the children. Naruto frantically scanned the surrounding area as the ABNU slowly stalked his way towards them. He couldn't find any viable escape routes, not that they could make a break for it anyway. They would be caught for sure, especially since he'd already used the last of his flash tags.

 _'Kurama I need your chakra!'_

 **"Even with my chakra, there's no way you can take on all three of them. Face it, we've been caught,"** the beast spoke.

 _'Fine you stupid fox! I don't need you help anyway!'_

Tanto in hand, Naruto suddenly charged at the tall ANBU. He let out a gallant battle cry, only to be snatched off of his feet. Boar held the boy up by his arm, grinning madly beneath his mask as he watched him struggle. "Don't you know you're not supposed to run with sharp objects?" He drove his foot into Naruto's chest, causing him to drop the tip-less blade. The blond skipped across the ground a few times before crashing into a tree. "Someone could get hurt!"

"Darin!" Zero Two cried out. She quickly bounced to her feet and made a break for the downed Naruto. But she didn't make it far and soon found herself in the clutches of Owl.

"Not so fast," the woman pinned the smaller girl to the ground, burying her face on the snow. "You've caused Danzō-sama enough trouble as is."

Naruto groaned as he tried to pick himself up off of the ground. That kick had expelled all of the air in his lungs and left him struggling to breath.

 **"Damn it, stay down Naruto. You're gonna get yourself killed if you keep this up! Or better yet run away."** Troublesome as he was, Naruto could evade the ANBU as he was. With his chakra, escaping would be a breeze.

 _'If you aren't going to help me then just shut up already! I won't abandon Zero Two!'_

 **"Is this girl really worth throwing away everything you've worked for?!"**

 _'YES!'_

The beast let out an annoyed snarl as he banged his head against the bars of his cage. He really hated how stubborn his container could be. He blamed the boy's mother for it. **"Fine, we'll rescue your damn mate!"** He soon a better chance using his chakra than he did without.

 _'Thanks Kurama.'_

 **"Oh don't thank me yet. I'm giving your ass acid reflux for a week when we get out of this!"**

Boar spun the tanto between his fingers with practiced ease as he approached the downed Jinchuriki. He had half a mind to put an end to the demon boy, but his master specifically requested that he be brought back alive. That didn't necessarily mean he had to be in one piece though.

"Looks like- huh?" The man halted when he saw the blond begin to stand up. A haze of orange chakra was creeping out of his pores, forming a cloak around the boy. Naruto's entire form visibly shook before vanishing completely, leaving Boar stunned. There was a sharp cry behind him that jolted him from his stupor. He quickly spun around and his eyes widened in shock.

Naruto has managed to steal back his sword and drove it into Owl's heartt, pinning her to the ground. "I said not to touch her!"

Owl squirmed in pain under him. "Damn...brat!" She rasped our before coughing up a considerable amount of blood from beneath her mask. Leaving his blade sheathed in her chest, Naruto quickly turned to help Zero Two to her feet. "Are you okay?"

"Darin..." Zero Two stared at him in awe. The orange energy had altered his features slightly, making his hair shaggier and the whisker marks on his cheeks more pronounced. But most prominent of all were his eyes, which had narrowed into slits and radiated with a crimson glow.

"You fucking demon!" Boar roared. He could feel his anger steadily rising as he watched his teammate slowly bleed out. "You'll pay for this!" Channeling chakra into his legs, the large man stomped his foot onto the ground, causing a giant rock to pop into the air. _**"Earth-Style: Rock Bullet!"**_ Boar punched the boulder and sent it flying towards the two youths. Naruto scooped Zero Two into his arms and vaulted high into the air, just barely clearing the projectile and landed on a tree branch. Boar immediately appeared at the tree's base, giving him no time to rest. **"Earth Style: Earth Spear!"** Boar's entire armed darkened as he channeled earth chakra and tore through the trunk of the tree, shattering it. Naruto tried to leap away once more, but felt something wet encircled around his ankle.

 _ **"Water Style: Water Whip!"**_

Hawk tugged sharply on the liquid lash, snatching the blond out of the air. Naruto felt Zero Two slip out of his grasp before being slammed into the ground. Hawk stared down disdainfully at the struggling boy. This was supposed to be an easy mission. But instead, the demon child had cost him the life of one of his subordinates. Their master may have wanted Naruto brought back alive, but he was going to make sure the boy felt the worst pain imaginable.

Zero Two landed in a crouch and her eyes immediately landed on the lanky ANBU that had ensnared her Darling. Letting out a growl, she made a beeline for the man, only to find herself lifted into the air by her legs. "Where do you think you're going?" Boar barked, returning the rosette's glare with equal fervor. Zero Two snarled before swinging back and forth, using her momentum to take hold of the arm that had imprisoned her. With no hesitation whatsoever, she sank her teeth into the appendage, causing the large man to cry out in pain.

"Argh! You little bitch!" Boar drove his hardened fist into the back of Zero Two's head, forcing her to let go, before slamming her into the ground. A sharp wail pierced his ears drums, echoing throughout the forest. The screech was enough to leave Boar momentarily stunned and he glanced down at the source to notice one of Zero Two's horns was missing. He took a step towards the whimpering girl but was sent crashing into the snow when a body barreled into him. Hawk moaned loudly whilst Boar pushed him aside with an annoyed huff. He threw a glare in the girl's direction but was startled to see Naruto standing there.

The blond's hands shook as he observed the scene before him. Zero Two was curled into a ball in the snow, shaking profusely. Her azure blood leaked from an unseen wound on her scalp and one of her horns had been completely snapped off near the base, lying in ground next to her. "Zero...Two..." Naruto breathed out shakily as he knelt down at her side. He pulled her into a gentle embrace and despite her tears, she couldn't help but smile upon seeing his face.

"Darin..."

Naruto felt something spark deep within him, which Kurama took notice of as well. **"Kit I know what you're thinking but now is not the time. Take her and go!"** Escape was basically guaranteed at this point if they left right now.

"They'll pay..."

 **"Naruto you need to listen to me!"**

"I'll make them pay!"

 **"Damn it!"** Kurama roared in frustration. This was the _exact_ reason he was against letting Naruto use his chakra. The boy already wore his heart on his sleeve, and his chakra further amplified one's emotions, especially negative ones. At this rate, his container was about to go on a rampage and it was too late for him to pull back his chakra. More chakra began to seep out of Naruto's pores, thickening the cloak around his body as it took on a vulpine shape. The two ANBU could only watch in horror as four tails rose up from the blond's backside.

"Good grief," a voice sighed, startling the two men. "Talk about a worst case scenario."

Hawk looked up at the newest arrival and his eyes went wide. The man was rather tall and had unkempt, silver locks that spiked out from atop his head. He removed his dog mask, revealing a bored expression hidden behind yet another face mask. "Guess its a good thing we brought you along Tenzō," Kakashi said as two others landed behind him. One was a man with short brown hair and the other was a girl with long, violet tresses.

"Uh...that's no good. What do you expect me to do about it?!" Tenzō stared incredulously as he watched Naruto's skin start to peel away.

"You're the one with Wood-Style. Just do what the First did," Kakashi replied nonchalantly.

"I don't have his necklace!"

"Hm...that makes you rather useless right now I suppose," the silver-haired man sighed, eliciting a whine from his subordinate.

"You're so mean Senpai!"

"You'll be alright when you get better," Kakashi waved him off dismissively. Right now, they had to focus on the task at hand. _'This is bad. Naruto has actually managed to tap into the Nine-Tails chakra.'_ From the look of things, it was also starting to cause the boy physical harm as well. His skin had completely melted off by now, his blood dying the chakra shroud a deep shade of crimson. His eyes were were hollow, reflecting back an eerie light. He seemed to be standing guard over someone or something, but it was too far away to say for certain.

"What happened here?" Kakashi spoke tonelessly, his lone visible eye barring down on Boar and Hawk with absolute scrutiny.

"That damn demon is what happened!" Boar spat.

"We were just trying to return some stolen property when it attacked us out of nowhere. He even killed one of our teammates," Hawk answered, motioning towards their fallen comrade. Kakashi followed his gaze and took note of the woman's corpse that lie prone in a patch of red snow. He didn't believe them in the slightest, considering the were Root after all. Naruto may be a troublemaker, but he wasn't a cold-blooded killer. And considering his current state, it was obvious that they had managed to provoke him in someway, enough to draw on the power of the beast sealed within him. He didn't know what Danzō was up to, but it couldn't be anything good.

"Either way, we need to get this situati-" A loud screech reverberated throughout the barren forest, causing all five ANBU to recoil. Kakashi was forced to cover his ears, but even then he felt as if his head was about to split open. _'What the hell was that?!'_ The ground suddenly began to shake and a cloud of snow exploded into the air not too far away from Naruto. The group of shinobi were startled to see a massive beast crawl out of the earth. The monster towered over the trees and had the likeness of an armadillo. It's scales were as black as night and it had glowing blue highlights overlaying majority of its form. It's eyes fell on Naruto and it let out another earth-shaking roar. The blond responded in kind with a fearsome howl of his own.

"W-What is that?!" The lone female of the group stammered.

"Some kind of monster!" Tenzō exclaimed.

"I don't believe it...a real-life Klaxosaur..." Hawk stared in awe.

Naruto snarled as he stared down the giant beast, all the while the one inside of him was growing increasingly nervous. **"What in the actual hell is that thing?"** He'd never seen such a creature before in all of his years, and he'd been around since the age of the Six Paths Sage. Without warning, the Klaxosaur shot forward in an impressive show of speed. Naruto reacted immediately and his body flashed out of sight. He reappeared in front of the Klaxosaur and punched the beast square in the mouth, sending it reeling. The blond however was not expecting its tail to whip around and he was swatted away into a nearby tree.

Kakashi, along with the others, was so caught up in watching the two beasts do battle that he almost didn't noticed the small form lying on the ground where Naruto once stood. "Tenzō, Yūgao, focus!" He called, snapping his charges to attention. We may have another casualty on our hands." He flashed over to Zero Two and his lone eye bulged in its socket. He didn't know who she was, but it was clear she had a severe concussion. Kakashi found himself intrigued by her appearance. It wasn't everyday you saw someone with red skin and horns. A bloodline perhaps? "Yūgao, tend to her wounds."

"Yes sir!"

"Wait, this one is with us," Hawk appeared next to the silver-haired teen. "We've come to collect her."

"Oh, well if that's the case, we'll take it from here," Kakashi said with a signature eye smile. He noticed that the blue liquid leaking from the girl's head, presumably her blood, was also splatter on Boar's arm. The man played a part in her injuries which meant he'd been right to be suspicious of the two Root members. If Danzō was after the girl, then it was his duty to protect her. If he had to guess, that was most likely Naruto was going on rampage at the moment.

"This has nothing to do with you Hatake," Hawk growled, taking a step forward. He suddenly found himself locked in place, unable to move under the young ANBU's cold stare. "Like I said, we'll handle it from here. Unless you have any objections?"

Hawk bit back a curse as he stepped away. Despite his young age, Hatake Kakashi was already a legend with the ranks of the ANBU and was not a man to be trifled with. He'd been trained by the Fourth Hokage himself and was even briefly Danzō's right hand man for a time.

Upon hearing a soft moan, Kakashi turned to see Zero Two was slowly coming to. "Da...rin..." Her eyes widened in fear at the sight of all the ANBU and she hurriedly scurried away.

"Hey you shouldn't move!" Yūgao called out, reaching for the girl. She quickly drew her hand back in when Zero Two lashed out with her claws. The sound of an explosion caught everyone's attention and they all turned to see Naruto's body skip down the road.

"Darin!" Zero Two cried out. She took off in his direction but only made it so far before she was scooped off of her feet. She flailed wildly in her captor's grasp, but their grip remained firm.

"I'm sorry little one, but it's to dangerous," Kakashi spoke as he watched Naruto shakily rise back to his feet. The situation was getting worse by the second. With Naruto drowning in the madness that was the Nine-Tail's power, he didn't have a reliable way to deal with the boy that wouldn't end up killing him. And he was too far gone even for Tenzō's Tailed Beast-suppressing Wood-Style. Then there was the unknown creature that had appeared. He wasn't sure if it was a summon or just a wild animal, but whatever it was, it was strong enough to hold its own against a Tailed Beast's power. Large scale jutsu were out of the question since there was the possibility of Naruto getting caught up in it as well. Kakashi bit his lip apprehensively, forcing down a curse. _'I have to think of something and fast!'_

Unbeknownst to the young ANBU, Kurama have having similar sentiments from within his container. **"Damn it what kind of monster is this thing?!"** No matter how hard it got hit, it bounced right back with twice as much ferocity as before. The damn thing was even siphoning away their chakra! Kurama hasn't noticed at first, but as the fight drew on he felt the tug on his chakra growing stronger with each passing second. As much as he hated to admit it, they were fighting a losing battle. His chakra was beginning to take a toll on Naruto. He was simply too young and his body wasn't developed enough to handle this level of power. The body was lost to his rage, steadily drawing upon more and more of the corrosive chakra. If this kept up, he'd only end up destroying himself.

Naruto was panting heavily, snarling at the Klaxosaur as it drew closer. **"Looks like there's no other choice. Even that thing couldn't stand it's ground against a Tailed Beast Bomb."** The fox growled. It was the strongest technique in his arsenal by far and even with Naruto's small stature, pulling one off shouldn't be too much of an issue. The real problem would be what came afterwards. Using a technique of that magnitude would expend a lot of chakra and mostly likely knock the blond out of his current state. If he didn't die, then his body would shut down and enter a forced state of hibernation until he recovered. Kurama despised the idea of being dragged back to the Leaf once again, but they extremely limited on options at this point. **"Tch, it's really come down to this,"** the giant fox spat.

Naruto let out another roar as hundreds of black and white balls were expelled from his body. They swirled around him briefly before converging above his head. The balls collided with one another, slowly merging as they gave form to an even greater mass of chakra. The group of ninja watching on let out a collective gasp as they watched the large ball of energy start to shrink.

 _'Oh fuck...don't tell me that's what I think it is!'_ Kakashi blinked in surprise, finally letting go of his composure.

The ground beneath Naruto began to crack open as the ball continued to grow smaller and smaller, eventually down to the size of an apple. It hovered in place just in front of the blond and his mouth began to split at the seams. In one swift motion, he swallowed it whole and the earth around him shattered, sinking the boy into a small crater. The Klaxosaur, now radiating a faint orange glow of its own, howled before making a beeline for the boy.

Naruto's entire body vibrated uncontrollably and blood was steadily trickling from his mouth, staining the ivory landscape crimson. **"Hang in there Kit, this will all before shortly,"** Kurama ground out as he watched the Klaxosaur rapidly close in on them. **"Alright you bastard, let's see if you're brave to take this one!"**

The Klaxosaur screeched once more before pouncing towards its immobile prey. Naruto let out a small burp and a torrent of chakra exploded from his mouth. The resulting shockwave tore through the area, knocking the group of onlooking bystanders off their feet. A massive beam of vermillion energy spewed forth endlessly from Naruto's mouth, erasing everything If came into contact with. It proceeded on for a few seconds before eventually thinning out. After it had dispersed completely, there wasn't a single trace of the klaxosaur left.

 **"Tch...serves you right..."** Kurama smirked, admiring his handiwork. The attack had carved out a enormous trench in the terrain that extended well into the distance. Kurama felt his consciousness slowly slipping away and barked out a curse. **"Damn it! I hate...this part..."** Channeling an excessive amount of chakra through a small vessel like Naruto left him drained. He had encountered this problem the first time he'd ever tried to take over the boy's mother in her youth. **"I swear...to god you stupid..."** he yawned tiredly. **"When I...wake up..."** As the beast slowly floated out of consciousness, his chakra began to recede as well. The cloak shattered and a comatose Naruto fell face first into the snow.

A symphony of pained groans emanated from the group. Kakashi slowly sat up, trying his best to ignore the intense throb threatening to split his brain in two. He spotted Naruto's unmoving form on the ground, but before he could make a move, Zero Two shot past him like a bat out of hell. She crossed the now desolate thicket at break neck speeds, eager to check on the fallen blond.

"Darin!" She stumbled and managed to slide to a stop just in front of him. His skin was an angry shade of red, much like her own and his body was littered with a variety of cuts and bruises. "Darin..." She gave his arm a gentle shake, in hopes that we would wake up. Naruto's breath was slow and shallow, but he remained unresponsive. She tried again a bit more forcefully this time. "Darin!" The blond still gave no outward reaction. Tears streamed forth from the distraught rosette as she continuously tried to awaken the boy. She refused to believe what was happening. She had finally found something precious to her and now he was being taken awake like everything else in her life. The crunching of snow caught her ear and Zero Two's head whipped around to spot Kakashi and his team cautiously approaching from behind.

It was all their fault! Naruto had gotten hurt trying to protect her after they came to take her away. If it weren't for them, they would've gotten far away from this place. She would've been able to spend the rest of her life happy with a prince of her own, just like in her book. And now just like the princess, it was being ripped away from her. Narrowing her eyes at the silver-haired teen, Zero Two drew Naruto into a protective embrace and snarled. She refused to let that happen. A fire had been lit in the small girl's soul, one that filled her with an unwavering resolve. She wasn't going to allow anyone to separate her from Naruto. He had protected her when she needed him most and now it was her time to do the same for him.

Kakashi halted in his tracks, freezing up at the sight. Orange chakra was beginning to seep out of Naruto's body once more, only this time it was flowing into Zero Two. Her hardened teal eyes bled crimson and the horns on her head ignited with energy. _'This is bad! Don't tell me she can siphon chakra!'_

"Tenzō stop her before it's too late!" He commanded.

"R-Right!" The brunet stammered before quickly running through a series of hand signs. _**"Wood-Style: Silent Strangle Jutsu!"**_ Multiple branches shot out of his arm and closed in on Zero Two. She tried swatting them away, but they curled around her arm and rapidly entangled themselves around her body. With the mere flick of the wrist, Tenzō managed to forcibly separate her from Naruto.

Zero Two thrashed about wildly in an effort to break her bonds and eventually managed to free up one of her arms. She reached out to Naruto in desperation but she suddenly felt tired and her eyes began to droop. "Da...rin..."

"I think it would be best if you just slept for now," Kakashi said as he finished casting the genjutsu.

"S-Senpai...did you see that?! She just-"

"Yes, I did," Kakashi interrupted Yūgao. He slid his headband back into place over his Sharingan and sighed deeply. Now he knew why Danzō had sent his goons after the girl. Whatever bloodline she possessed, it must've been exceptionally potent if it allowed her to siphon off the chakra of a Tailed Beast. _'Jeez Naruto, What have you gotten yourself wrapped up into this time? Just wait until the Hokage hears about this...'_

* * *

Naruto's eyes fluttered open with a start. He jolted upright and took in his surroundings. He was in a sewer, surrounded on all sides by rusty pipes and encroaching darkness. The ground was flooded with water, yet he didn't feel wet in the slightest. "Man...I haven't been here in forever," he said aloud.

Just moments ago, he had successfully pushed his teammate out of harm's way. He was pretty certain it was the end for him. But next thing he knew, everything went all white and his head was suddenly filled with memories, ones that he'd thought would be lost forever. He remembered everything now: running away from the village, meeting Zero Two, and even running into the legendary Tsunade herself. He even remembered encountering those ANBU and how they hurt Zero Two. But everything else after that was blank until he awoke in the hospital. What that what they meant by seeing your life flash before your eyes?

Naruto soon found himself filled with a foreboding sense of dread. He didn't know how or to what extent, but he could sense Zero Two was in trouble. But if he really did get hit by Haku's attack, he wasn't going to be of use to anyone anytime soon. At least not without some help. "Time for another reunion of sorts I guess," the blond chuckled to himself as he pushed himself to his feet and set off down one of the many barren corridors.

Naruto traversed the winding labyrinth that was his mindscape for what seemed like hours before finally reaching his destination. He stepped into an expansive room that was gated off by a series of giant bars. On one of them they're was a tag that simply read "Seal." Stuffing his hands in his pockets, Naruto approached the gate with a small skip in his step. "Oi! Wake up already you stupid fox!" The entire room shook violently and an angry vermillion eye snapped open behind the bars, accompanied by a low growl. "Long time, no see Kurama!"

 **"You insolent little whe-"** the beast paused, before staring down at the boy incredulously. **"Wait...Naruto, don't tell me..."**

"Yep!" The blond grinned as he tapped the side of his head. "Everything's all back in place up here. Well mostly. Some things are still kind of fuzzy."

 **"Ah. Well in that case..."** A large forearm covered in fur slammed down in front of Naruto. It would have crush him but he was just outside of the fox's reach. **"Bring your scrawny ass over here so I can rip you a new one!"**

"Jeez, you're still as grouchy as ever I see," Naruto smirked. His smile quickly faded and he stared up at the beast intently. "I need your help Kurama. Zero Two's in trouble."

 **"No! Matter of a fact, _HELL NO!_ "** The fox immediately declined. That little vixen he'd grown so attached to was to blame for their predicament all those years ago.

"Kurama, I'm serious. If I don't do something now then she and the others might end up getting hurt, or worse..." the blond pleaded.

 **"Absolutely not!"** Kurama shook his head. **"If it weren't for your mate, we wouldn't even be in this position right now!"**

"Please Kurama...I can't do this without you. Like seriously, I'm pretty sure I'm bleeding out right now," Naruto said flatly. "Besides, I thought we were friends?"

 **"Don't speak to me with such familiarity whelp!"** The fox snorted.

Naruto sighed deeply and his shoulders sagged. "Guess I'll die at this rate. And even if I don't, word will eventually get around that the Nine-Tails, mightiest of all the Tailed Beasts, has such a weak jinchūriki. I mean I'm used to being ridiculed, but you'd become the biggest laughing stock in the Elemental Nations," he said with a shrug.

 **"Why You little shit...!"** Kurama growled.

"Or you could help me out and show the world who's still top dog. Word will spread quickly if I managed to defeat one of the Seven Swordsman of the Hidden Mist," Naruto continued on. Kurama was an extremely prideful being, so he knew attacking his ego would force his hand. It was a cheap and underhanded tactic, but he was a ninja after all. "Look, if you do this for me then I'll owe you big."

 **"You already owe me big brat!"**

"Fine, I'll owe you even more! The faster we get this over with, the faster we can go home. I'm not some weak little kid anymore."

 **"Tch...could've fool me..."**

"Are you going to help me or not?" Naruto huffed in annoyance.

 **"You're not giving me much choice in the matter. Besides, you'll just stand there bitching and moaning until I do."** Kurama glared at the boy.

"Damn right!"

The beast sighed heavily as he slammed his forehead against the bars of his cage. God the boy was so aggravating. He actually starting to miss the times Naruto didn't have his memories. At least then he wasn't bugging him. **"Just make it quick. Your wounds should be done healing by now. _One_ of us has to actually make sure you don't die."**

"Yeah, yeah, this will all be over before you know it," Naruto grinned as he turned to leave, but not before sparring one final glance over his shoulder. "Oh and Kurama?"

 **"What now?"** The fox groaned. Why wouldn't the boy just leave him alone already?

"It's nice to see you again buddy."

Kurama blinked in surprise. He turned his back to the blond and lied back down, careful to hide his smirk. **"Get out of my sight already. Your vixen is waiting on you."**

"Right!" Naruto flashed a grinned, disappearing from the room with a mock salute.

 **"Good grief...never a dull moment with that one I swear,"** Kurama grumbled. **"Good to have you back Kit..."**

* * *

Naruto blinked rapidly as he regained consciousness. Glancing down at himself, he gasped in shock. Rather than a cloak like last time, Kurama's chakra danced across his form like a golden second skin. "Holy shit...this is kind of badass!" A bestial roar distracted the blond from his self-admiration and his eyes began to scan the area. The bridge was in absolute ruins. He spotted Kakashi in the distance lying on his back. Sasuke was crouching down next to him, his attention focused on the other side of the bridge. Oddly enough, it looked as if his left eye had been bleeding, which couldn't be a good sign. He eventually followed his teammate's gaze and that's when he saw her.

Zero Two standing in the middle of a crater staring into the sky. Her skin was a red much like when she was younger and her horns had grown slightly. The fox-shaped cloud of chakra enveloping her form gave her a truly demonic appearance. Strelitzia was gripped tightly in her left hand while Haku's lifeless corpse hung limply in her right. _'Damn...looks like she managed to get some of Kurama's chakra. I have to stop her before it's too late!'_

 **"Yeah and take my chakra back while you're at it. The little bit-"**

 _'Kurama!'_

 **"Fine, Fine, either way she has no right to take it as she pleases,"** the fox gave an annoyed huff.

Ignoring the beast's grumbles, Naruto shot across the bridge, instantly closing the distance between himself and his beloved. _'Fuck I'm fast!'_

Sensing a presence behind her, Zero Two spun Strelitzia in her hand before lashing out at her would be assailant. Easily ducking under the strike aimed at his neck, Naruto stepped inside of the rosette's guard and took hold of her wrist. Zero Two dropped Haku's body and went to throw a hook but her hand was intercepted by Naruto's own. She thrashed about violently in his grasp, causing the blond to frown.

 _'She must've thought I died. I can only imagine the kind of pain I've put you through,'_ he thought solemnly. As a final effort to break free, Zero Two head butted the blond, but Naruto didn't flinch in the slightest. He rested his forehead against her own, and gave her a loving smile before capturing her lips in a gentle kiss. The rosette flinched at the sudden contact and her entire body went rigid. Strelitzia slipped through her fingertips and fell to the ground with a loud clang. The orange chakra raging around her was drawn back to into Naruto and her skin returned to its normal hue. The two teens separated moments later and Zero Two stared disbelievingly at the blond. "Dar...ling...?"

"Uzumaki Naruto, at your service!" He grinned cheekily.

"B-But you were...your pulse..." Zero Two stammered. "You...you came back to me..."

"Of course I did! And I always will," Naruto rubbed his nose against hers. "We still have to go out and see the world like in your book."

Zero Two's breath hitched in her throat and she nearly choked out a sob. She had never once mentioned her old pic picture book too him. She figured it was best to leave the past in the past and just focus on the present. But if he was suddenly bringing it up now that could only mean one thing.

"Darling...does that mean you-"

She was silenced when Naruto's lip crashed down on her own again. Through this small action she could feel all of his love pouring into her. They broke apart and he graced her with yet another heart-warming smile.

"You and me against the world Zero Two. It's the promise of a lifetime!"


	14. 014

**_014_**

* * *

"Is that so?"

With a chuckle, Zabuza formed the ram seal. The mist enveloping the bridge grew even thicker and the swordsman vanished from sight. "Let's just see which one of us makes it out of here alive." Zabuza's disembodied voice echoed around them.

Zero Two let out another growl as she stood back to back with Kakashi. _'Damn it, I should have just stabbed him back then!'_ She mentally berated herself. In hindsight, this entire situation could have been avoided had she just skewered the Mist-nin on Strelitzia's blade. But that would have been too quick and painless. To be fair, she did use all of her strength when she knocked him away. She really wanted him to _feel_ the gravity of his injury as death began its silent approach. How was she supposed to know the man had an apprentice that was apparently skilled in medical ninjutsu?!

"I'll gut that bastard," The rosette growled.

"Easy Zero Two. It's most important to keep a level head against this opponent," Kakashi advised.

I know that already scarecrow!" She barked in return, causing a nervous bead of sweat to roll down the Copy-Nin's forehead. _'Great...she's all riled up now. Would be best to finish this quickly then.'_

A shift in the air drew their attention and Zero Two expertly twirled Strelitzia between her fingers, blocking the strike aimed at her sensei's neck. "Oh?" Zabuza's nonexistent eyebrow rose. "Impressive reflexes you have there," he commented mockingly, causing the girl's eyes to narrow. Kakashi cursed himself for his inattentiveness and silently thanked his charge. With so much chakra floating around within the dense mist, it made it even harder for his Sharingan to keep track of his opponent. Quickly palming a kunai, he lashed out at Zabuza, only for the man to disengage and retreat further into the watery shroud.

"Time to take things up a notch I suppose," he laughed.

"Enough of your games!" Zero Two barked as she ran through a familiar series of hand signs and took in a deep breath. _**"Wind Style: Unrelenting Force!"**_ She spat out a destructive gale at her feet and the resulting wind pressure swept away the encroaching fog, revealing a surprised Zabuza.

He was left with little time to react as Strelitzia made a beeline for his skull, forcing a snarl out of the swordsman as he brought up his guard. _'Clever girl...'_

Zero Two kicked off of Kubikiribōchō's flat side, using the massive blade as a spring board as she shifted through another series of hand signs. _**"Fire Style: Dragon Flame Bullet!"**_ A fiery dragon exploded forth from the rosette's maw, bearing down on Zabuza. He spun his sword and batted the projectile away, causing his arms to rattle from the force of the impact.

His eyes snapped to his left, catching sight of a rapidly approaching Kakashi. The silver-haired man thrust out his arm at his torso, kunai in hand. Zabuza just barely managed to deflect the attack but his eyes widen when he heard a ferocious howl above him. He tried to jump away, but his blood sprang into the air as Strelitzia's blade tore into his right shoulder.

Zabuza bit back a curse and spared a glance at the wound. It wasn't very deep, but it was enough to let him know he couldn't afford to let his guard down in the slightest against the two leaf-nin. Zero Two landed beside Kakashi, a dissatisfied scowl marring her features. She had been aiming for his neck but the man managed to react in the nick of time. She summoned her glaive back into her hands before leveling a pointed glare at her prey. "I won't miss next ti-"

"NARUTO!"

All three paused at the startled cry. Zero Two and Kakashi immediately recognized the voice as Sasuke's and their eyes snapped toward the other side of the bridge, only to find themselves stricken with horror. The raven-haired teen was on the ground outside of the frozen prison, but everyone's attention was focused on the lone person still within. Spears of ice had erupted all around Naruto, skewering him from every angle. He flashed one last weak smile towards Sasuke before the light faded from his eyes. He had succeeded in saving his teammate, but it had cost him the ultimate price.

"No..." Zero Two's breath hitched, choking back a sob. Strelitzia slipped out of her grasp and she made a break for her beloved, completely ignorant to her surroundings. She easily slipped through a gap in the mirrors just as the ice holding up Naruto body began to retract, causing his body to slump. She slid across the ground and caught him before he could hit the ground.

"Darling!" a panicked Zero Two cried out as she held him up against her chest. His body was littered with holes, allowing his blood to facilely flow out of his body. "No, no, no, no, no!" Zero Two exclaimed, now drenched in the blond's blood. "Stay with me Darling!" She lightly shook Naruto in an effort to rouse him from his impromptu slumber. "Come on wake up already!" But the boy remained unmoving, increasing the rosette's frustration as she strengthened her ministrations. "Naruto please! You can't leave me!" She sobbed, the dam holding back her emotions having finally shattered. "You promised me..."

A still shaken Sasuke watched the scene unfold with widened eyes. Why would that idiot do something like that?! He didn't need to be saved!

 _'Sorry Sasuke...looks like this is all I can do for you. I know this will fill you with hatred towards the person responsible, but you must not fall victim to our clan's Curse of Hatred as well. I might be gone now but that doesn't mean you have to be alone little brother. Surround yourself with good friends, ones that will push you to be stronger than I ever could hope to be. And know this Sasuke...I will always be with you in here, watching over you from beyond. It's a big brother's job to look after his foolish little brother after all...'_

The young Uchiha flinched when he heard his brother's final words echo throughout his mind. Was this what he meant? He had always kept to himself in school, preferring to reside in solitude. But after joining Kakashi's squad, his life took an unprecedented turn of events. He initially thought of his teammates as nothing more than useless, extra baggage that would just slow him down on his path toward realizing his ambition. But over the last two months, a couple of missions, and hundreds of hours of training, he was starting to become rather fond of the others.

But that didn't explain why he felt like this after watching the blond die. A dull pain tore through his chest and slowly intensified. He was once again overcome with a sense of dread, much like the night of the massacre. _'Damn it...that idiot can't be dead...'_ Sasuke mentally snarled as a stinging sensation passed through his eyes. Unbeknownst to the raven-haired teen, the final tomoe revealed itself within his Sharingan. All three began to spin around his iris, shifting into a complex diagram.

"If only he had heeded my warning..." Haku spoke solemnly, reappearing behind the distraught Zero Two. He was never fond of killing people, preferring to settle matters as amicably as possible. But that didn't mean he would not hesitate to take a life. After encountering the couple last night, he knew just close the two were and what they meant to one another. But he would not allow himself to be distracted by trivial things such as love. All that mattered was fulfilling the duties bestowed upon him by his master "This is the end."

He watched on with piqued interest as the rosette's sobs fell silent, instead gently racking her body had she pulled Naruto's head to her chest in a tender embrace. "I...I don't care...if this is the end..." Zero Two planted a soft kiss on the fallen blond's forehead, a final farewell to her lover. Naruto was the single most important thing in the world to her. And they had just taken him away from her. They had to burn. Everything and everyone. She was going to burn it all.

Haku took an uneasy step back when he heard a dark chuckle escape the girl. A strange, crimson mist began to slowly leak out of Naruto's body. **"I'll use it all..."** he heard her speak, taking notice of the demonic inflection now shrouding her voice. The effluvium swirled around Zero Two and her body inhaled it like a much needed breath of fresh air. **"And reduce this world to ashes!"**

Haku flinched when he felt her chakra spike and noticed her features start to change. The first and most prominent of all was her hair. It slowly bled to a vivid shade of crimson, dancing ominously behind her like a cape of fire. Her horns lengthened and burst to life with a crimson flame. Both Kakashi and Zabuza stared in horror at the teen. _'Shit! She's starting to draw out the Nine-Tails chakra just like 10 years ago!'_

Even Sasuke was at a loss for words as he watched his pink-haired teammate's transformation. _'What is this power? Has Zero Two always been hiding something so...sinister?'_ But if his eyes didn't deceive him, he'd seen that orange chakra flow out of Naruto's body first. This only further strengthened his belief that there was more to his rival than meets the eye.

Zero Two gently laid the body of her beloved on the ground before rising to her full height, causing Haku to take a defensive stance. He wasn't exactly sure what was happening, but it seemed that killing the blond had awakened some kind of malicious force within the girl. Zero Two's form vibrated before vanishing from sight. Haku's eyes widened and it was that brief moment of hesitation that earned him a forceful kick to the chest. The androgynous teen flew backwards and slammed into on of the ice mirrors. Zero Two appeared before him but Haku was quicker to react this time around and sank back into the refuge provided by his technique. But the girl was far from deterred and drew back her fist, now empowered by the orange chakra. Haku's eyes bulged and he hastily jumped to another mirror as Zero Two smashed through the one he had been occupying previously, shattering it with ease.

 _'Damn she easily broke through my mirror. I could lose my head here if I'm not careful,'_ Haku thought grimly. His image appeared within the remaining mirrors, eliciting a growl from the girl. Zero Two held out her hand and Strelitzia appeared before her in a blaze of glory. She took hold of the glaive and spun in a circle. A shockwave pulsed out around her, shattering all of the ice mirrors and leaving a startled Haku floating in mid air. Zero Two took a hard step towards him, spinning Strelitzia in her hands before slamming it into his chest. Blood spewed out of the ice user's mouth as he was sent rocketing away toward the far side of the bridge.

Zabuza could only watch in disbelief as his protege was easily overpowered. _'I held the title of "Demon" back in the Mist but this girl truly is one. Just what else is the Leaf hiding those walls?!'_ He was snapped out of his stupor by Kakashi, who shot past him like a bat out of hell.

In his hand he held a tag left behind by the Toad Sage Jiraiya. It was specifically meant to suppress the Nine-Tails chakra within Naruto before it got too out of hand like it had nearly a decade ago. Though this time it was Zero Two rather than Naruto himself so he could only pray it functioned all the same. _'I've got to hurry!'_

Haku slammed into the railing that lined the edge of the bridge with a sickening crack. Observing as the disheveled pile of flesh slumped to the ground, Zero Two let out a primal roar that echoed throughout the valley and Strelitzia's blade suddenly ignited.

Sensing a presence rapidly approaching from her flank, Zero Two spun the glaive in the direction of her would be assailant, nearly taking off their head. Kakashi thanked every known deity that came to mind that he had been blessed with a Sharingan. The rosette's speed and power had shot up to unprecedented levels and he doubted he would have been able to evade her with out it. Spinning on his heel, the jōnin slipped past her attack and slammed the seal straight onto her chest, eliciting an annoyed growl from his charge.

The paper evaporated almost immediately, causing Kakashi's eyes to go wide. He wasn't given much chance to dwell on the shocking development and was quickly punted away by a spinning back kick. The silver-haired man skipped across the bridge and it was during mid flight that he noticed a flaming Strelitzia was barreling towards him. _'Crap! That can't be good for my health!'_ It was traveling so fast that he would still get clipped even if he managed to correct himself in time. His best hope at this point would be to try and minimize the damage as much as possible.

Kakashi quickly spun around but the emblazoned spear was already centimeters away from splitting his head open. At least that was until a black flame consumed Strelitzia and sent it crashing harmless into the ground, carving out a deep trough in the concrete. _'Wait that black fire...'_ he recognized it immediately. His eyes flashed to the other side of the bridge and landed on Sasuke, who was breathing heavily and covering his eye with one of his hands.

Sasuke winced at the searing pain in his head. He wasn't sure how exactly, but his Sharingan was stronger now. He could _feel_ it. Just by concentrating on Strelitzia he was able to conjure those black flames out of thin air. But he immediately felt the strain on his eye and knew it wasn't a technique he would be able to utilize often. The Uchiha scowled when he noticed Strelitzia begin to absorb the flames. It glowed briefly before flashing away, only to reappear moments later in Zero Two's outstretched palm. _'Damn it just how strong is she?!'_

Zero Two's gaze fell on the battered Haku, who managed to rise to his feet once more after the brief exchange. He took note of how the rosette's gleaming viridian eyes had long since faded, now completely overridden by a bloodthirsty vermillion glow. She lifted her weapon high above her head and it burst into flames once more, releasing a substantial amount of heat into the misty air.

 _'I guess this is my end as well,'_ he thought solemnly as the heated blade descended on him. _'If only I could have been of more use to Zabuza-san.'_ His funereal thoughts were interrupted by a reverberating clash of metal.

"Damn it, pull yourself together Haku!" Zabuza snarled as he struggled to hold off the rosette's attack. Her strength had increased tenfold from before, more than likely thanks to omninous orange chakra radiating off her form. His eyes widened when he saw that the white hot blade of Strelitzia carving into his sword. _'Shit! Kubikiribōchō is strong but it wasn't built to stand up to elemental chakra of this magnitude!'_

With his blade nearly cut all the way through, Zabuza dislodged from the clash with a flick of the wrist, offsetting Zero Two's stance. Not wasting a second, he swung Kubikiribōchō in a wide arc, catching the girl in her side and sent her blasting away.

Haku stared up at his mentor in disbelief. "Zabuza-san..." His eyes fell on the jagged laceration that now marred Kubikiribōchō's once pristine form and was wracked with guilt. He was to blame for this.

"Now isn't the time Haku!" the swordsman barked, snapping the boy to attention. "The enemy will be upon us soon!" He spat, his eyes narrowing at the slouched figure in the distance.

Zero Two held her hand over the gash on her side and growled. The Nine-Tails chakra around her intensified, tinging her skin back to its original carmine shade. A cloak of chakra grew around her form, settling into the shape of a fox and another primal roar exploded from the rosette. Strelitzia flourished in her hand with practice ease and Zero Two made a break for the Mist-nin, the ground fracturing beneath her feet. Zabuza scowled as he moved to intercept, holding his blade at the ready. _'So much for an easy job. This day has gone to complete shit!'_ He cursed his luck.

While the two engaged in a carcinogenic waltz, Sasuke swiftly made his way over to his downed sensei. Kakashi had a rough landing that left him briefly discombobulated. The bright glare from Strelitzia being in such close proximity to his face had left him momentarily blinded but his sight had mostly returned by now. "Kakashi-sensei what's going on with Zero Two?!" He heard his student all but shout. He glanced up at the boy and his suspicions we're confirmed when he saw the six-point star pattern of the boy's Sharingan and blood leaking from his left eye. _'So he really has awakened the Mangekyō._ _Could this be because of Naruto...'_

The clashing of metal drew both male's attention and their gazed shifted to watch the ongoing battle between Zero Two and Zabuza. It was easy to see that he was more skilled than her when it came to handling a weapon, but she more than made up for it with sheer power and tenacity. "I...I can't say at the moment," the jōnin spoke. Even outside of the village, the Third's law still carried weight and only Naruto had the liberty of breaking it. "Just know that we have to find a way to stop her before she becomes a danger to herself, and more importantly us." From what he had seen so far, she seemed to be focused on the enemy shinobi, but wouldn't hesitate to attack anyone who got too close.

"And how the hell are we supposed to do that?!" Sasuke spat, closing tracking the fight with his newly enhanced dojutsu.

"I really don't know..." Kakashi admitted grimly as he too watched the destructive bout. He didn't really believe in them, but they could definitely use a miracle right about now. Both groups were too focused on the ensuing battle to notice the crimson chakra that now enveloped the deceased blond's body.

Zabuza bit back another curse, recoiling slightly from the heat given off by his opponents weapon. He wasn't one to believe in the power of "Love", But the girl's reaction to seeing her lover killed led him to believe otherwise. _'I'm not as young as I used to be,'_ the swordsman grunted, acknowledging his advanced age. _'I need to finish this quickly.'_

Zero Two snarled and slammed her glaive down on her opponent with all of her strength, easily breaking through his guard. Kubikiribōchō had long since reached its limited from the constant assault of fire chakra and snapped in half, alarming Zabuza. Zero Two moved in for the kill but a massive quake shook the earth, successfully distracting the two combatants.

A geyser shot into the air adjacent to the bridge, drawing everyone's attention. An ear-splitting wail pierced the air and the water disperse to reveal a massive creature. Its serpentine form slithered out of the river, pitch black scales glistening in the pale light of the sun that somehow managed to breath through the fog. Kakashi stared in horror at the monster. _'A...A klaxosaur?!'_ Unlike the one he'd seen Naruto defeat all those years ago, this one was much larger, rivaling a Tailed Beast in size.

Zabuza's jaw went slack as he stared in awe at the mighty creature. He felt a shift in the air in front of him and cursed his lapse in concentration. Zero Two was unconcerned by the newest arrival and utilized the opportunity presented to move in for the kill. Zabuza had just managed to bring up what was left of his weapon to defend himself, but it was easily swatted away by the rosette's own. Zero Two drove her clawed hand, now encased in a flaming aura of chakra, toward's the defenseless man's head.

 _'So this is it huh...this is where I fall?'_ The mist-nin smirked. He acknowledged the girl's strength and closed his eyes, resigning himself to the endless darkness that would soon claim him. A sickening squelch reached his ears and Zabuza felt blood splash onto his face. Yet, it wasn't his own. His eyes snapped open, startled by the sight before him. Haku was standing In front of him, twitching in pain. He had intercepted Zero Two's attack and now found himself trapped within her grasp. Her claws has easily torn into his neck, forcing the boy to choke on his own blood. Zero Two growled before clenching her hand into a fist, shattering Haku's windpipe and watched as the light faded from his eyes.

Zabuza, still in disbelief, was shaken from his stupor by another piercing roar from the klaxosaur. Not one to look a gift horse in the mouth, he used the opening to quickly leap away and hide himself within the turbid fog. Zero Two's gaze shifted to the colossal beast hovering over the bridge, finally acknowledging its presence. A throaty snarl escaped the teen and her hand tightened even further around the deceased Haku's neck.

Sensing a presence behind her, Zero Two spun Strelitzia in her hand before lashing out at her would be assailant. Her strike was easily easily evaded and the golden figure stepped inside of her guard, taking hold of her wrist. Zero Two dropped Haku's body and threw a wild punch at her attacker, but her hand was caught once again. She thrashed about violently but couldn't seem to break free.

As a last ditch effort to break free, Zero Two head butted the person, but they didn't waver in the slightest from the desperate attack. A slight pressure landed on her forehead, but before she could react she felt a warm, tingling sensation dance across her lips. The rosette flinched at the sudden contact and her entire body went rigid. Strelitzia slipped through her fingertips and fell to the ground with a loud clang.

The orange chakra raging around her evaporated, causing her skin to return to its normal hue. Zero Two suddenly found herself thrust back to consciousness and left addled by the sudden exchange. She glanced up at the glowing figure, her vision still muddled from the Nine-Tails chakra being extracted so suddenly. She could only stare disbelievingly at the boy. "Dar...ling...?"

"Uzumaki Naruto, at your service!" He grinned cheekily.

This had to have been some trick. It was the only explanation. Some sick bastard was using a genjutsu on her. But with the way her bloodline worked, that was nearly impossible since her body would easily assimilate any foreign chakra in her system. "B-But you were...your pulse..." Zero Two stammered. She couldn't make sense of what was happening and as much as she wanted to believe it was all a dream, she knew in her heart that this was indeed her beloved. Tears flowed freely from the rosette's eyes as she choked out a sob. "You...you came back to me..."

"Of course I did! And I always will," Naruto rubbed his nose against hers. "We still have to go out and see the world like in your book."

Zero Two's breath hitched in her throat. She had never once mentioned her old pic picture book to him, believing it would be best to leave the past in the past and focus on the present. But if was suddenly bringing it up now that could only mean one thing.

"Darling...does that mean you-"

She was silenced when Naruto's lips crashed down on her own again. Through this small action she could feel all of his love pouring into her. They broke apart and he graced her with yet another heart-warming smile.

"You and me against the world Zero Two. It's the promise of a lifetime y'know!"

And with that the dam finally broke. Zero Two collapsed in the blond's arms, who silently held onto her as she wept. "Stupid...stupid Darling..." she cried as she pounded her small fist on his chest. "Don't ever leave me again..."

"I'm not going anywhere, I promise," Naruto reassured her, slowly combing his fingers through her sakura tresses. Zero Two lifted her head reveal a tear stained face, her eyes still puffy from crying. "Good." She moved forward to kiss him once more but her advanced was halted by a surge of chakra behind them.

A sense of vertigo enveloped the rosette as the sound of an explosion reached her ears. She blinked in surprise, noticing that she couldn't feel her feet on the ground anymore. Her eyes shifted back to Naruto and couldn't help but blush when she realized he was carrying her in his arms, much like a groom would his bride. She hadn't even felt him pick her up. His expression was hard, glaring at something in the distance. Zero Two glanced over his shoulder and was shocked to see Kakashi and Sasuke standing there, who looked equally as startled to see them.

"Naruto...is that really you?" Kakashi asked hesitantly.

"The one and only!" The blond turned to his sensei, flashing a trademark grin. He gently lowered Zero Two back to her feet before turning his attention back to the klaxosaur. "Looks like another one of those monsters that attacked us a long time ago. But this one is much bigger."

His words made Kakashi's eyes bulge. There was no way possible he could know about that. "Naruto...have your memories returned?"

"We can talk about it later Kakashi-sensei. Right now we have to deal with this monster before it destroys the bridge. We can't let Old Man Tazuna's hard work go to waste!" Kakashi was surprised by level of maturity the boy was displaying. He was becoming more and more like his father with each passing day.

"I see you made it out okay Sasuke," Naruto spared a glance in his teammate's direction. He did a double take and his eyebrow rose when he spotted the Uchiha's eyes. "What's up with your Sharingan? It looks...weird y'know..."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Sasuke shot back in confusion. "And what about you?! Where did all that chakra come from?" He gestured at the blond. Zero Two and Kakashi turned to observed Naruto as well, curious about his new form. His entire body was shrouded in golden, flame-like chakra that clung to him like a second skin. Black lines traced all around his body and a spiral reminiscent of the Uzumaki symbol was center on his stomach just above the seal. He had six magatama marking encircling his neck while his hair stood erect at the front, giving it the appearance of horns.

"Oh this?" Naruto replied nonchalantly as he looked himself over. "I'm not sure to be honest. I'll have to to ask Kurama when I get the chance," Naruto shrugged, eliciting varying responses from his team.

 _'Kurama? Does that mean he's made contact with the Nine-Tails?!'_ Kakashi internally blanched.

"Kurama?" Zero Two's Head tilted in confusion.

"Yes Love, but we can talk about this later," Naruto nodded, earning a blush from the rosette. She didn't think it was even possible to fall any harder for the excitable Uzumaki than she already had.

"The idi- Naruto is right," Sasuke uncharacteristically checked himself. "We need to deal with the threat at hand first." He had come to finally acknowledge the annoying blond as a friend and would be sure to question him later.

The klaxosaur let out a low growl, eyeing the group of humans. The blue accents that lined it body started to glow as it charged up its next attack. Naruto bit back a curse and with a hard step, he flashed away from the others. The beast's head panned, tracking his movements and exhaled a concentrated beam of energy in the jinchuriki's direction. With his new found speed, Naruto easily sidestepped the attack and confirmed his suspicions.

 _'Seems like it's after me just like the one from before.'_

 **"We need to finish this quickly Naruto before it's the chance to starts siphoning my chakra."** Kurama warned. It was a pain in the ass to deal with last time and he didn't really care to have to do it a second time.

 _'Why not just take it out with your hot breath attack like last time?'_

 **"You insolent little-"** Kurama pinched the bridge of his snout to check his anger, earning a snicker from his container. " **The Tailed Beast Bomb is not that simple. It requires a precise ratio 8:2 of positive and negative chakra. It comes naturally to me and you don't have nearly enough chakra control for such a delicate procedure."**

 _'Tch...what good are you then?'_ Naruto shot back.

 **"Maybe I'll just take my chakra back."**

 _'Maybe I'll just die for real time and take you to hell with me.'_

 **"..."**

 _'...'_

 **"Hairless monkey."**

 _'Stupid fox.'_

 **"I'm going to get out of this cage one day and rain down hell on your scrawny ass,"** an annoyed Kurama spat.

 _'Yeah well until then, we need to figure out a way to beat this thing y'know,'_ Naruto retorted as he watched the massive serpent rear back, preparing to strike. It hissed menacingly, baring it's fangs before springing forward. "Oh shit!" Naruto easily sidestepped the attack, but the klaxosaur wasn't deterred in the slightest and continued on with its assault.

"We have to do something..." a frustrated Zero Two ground out. She would've already moved into action had her reserves not been completely drained. It would seem that she had exhausted a substantial amount of chakra during her little tantrum. She couldn't even summon Strelitzia back to her side.

"We need a plan first and foremost," Kakashi advised, eliciting a snort out of the rosette.

"There's no time for that! Darling is out there fighting all by himself y'know!" She snapped, growing even more frustrated at how useless she felt at the moment. Once again, her own body had become an obstacle to keep her from realizing her ambitions.

"Tch...that idiot is as hopeless as ever," Sasuke scoffed, a small smirk crossing his features as he drew his blade. "He'll probably end up getting himself killed again at this rate." The Uchiha spun the katana in his hand and leapt away to aid his obnoxious teammate.

Zero Two couldn't help but smile. The angsty boy wasn't too bad when he didn't have his head shoved up his own ass. Maybe that was something else to credit Naruto for. Her eyes shifted across the battlefield and locked onto her beloved. He had defied all odds and returned from the brink of death to keep his promise. And right now he was fighting for his life once again. The fact that he had managed to regain his memories only furthered strengthened her resolve. She took off in the direction of her spear, set on retrieving the weapon and returning to her rightful place at the blond's side. Even if she didn't have any chakra to mold, she refused to just standby idly.

"Zero Two wai-" Kakashi's petitions fell on deaf ears as yet another of his students sprung headfirst into the fray. _'Is this how Minato-sensei felt back when we were on his team? I don't think my nerves can handle it.'_ Yet despite his complaints, there was a soft smile hidden away behind his mask. His pupils were strong and just like every other obstacle thrown their way, they would find a way to overcome this one as well. As their Sensei, it was his job to believe in them and provide assistance whenever needed. _'Minato-sensei, please watch over us throughout this battle. What I wouldn't give for some of your guidance right about now,'_ the ashen-haired jōnin thought to himself before following in his student's footsteps.

* * *

 **"It's on our ass Naruto!"**

 _'I can see that Kurama!'_

 **"Then stop messing around already!"**

 _'Would you like to drive for the time being?!'_

 **"Yes! Very much so!"**

Naruto ignored his inner demon and dodged another attack from the giant serpent. Despite its size, it was deceptively fast and while the blond was more than fast enough to keep away from the enormous beast, he still wasn't used to his newfound speed and the klaxosaur stuck to him like white on rice. If he had to guess, based on his previous encounter with one, it was tracking his chakra signature and in his current state he was basically a walking bonfire.

The beast reared back for its follow up strike, only to wail in pain as its body was engulfed in black flames. Naruto's head tilted in confusion until he spotted Sasuke land beside him. He had a feeling that the change in his friend's dojutsu meant that it was stronger than before and it seemed he was spot on in his assumption. "Nice to see you haven't fallen behind y'know," Naruto grinned as he held out a closed fist to the Uchiha.

"Ha!" Sasuke barked with laughter. "As if I'd ever lose to you." Sasuke returned the expression with a grin of his own as he bumped his fist against Naruto's own. A sharp screech interrupted their friendly reunion and both adolescents turned to see the klaxosaur had recovered from Sasuke's attack. It's body glowed and the flames of darkness dancing across its skin disperse as it consumed the chakra that empowered them.

"Damn, it's starting to absorb chakra!" Naruto cursed.

"You sound like you've fought one of these before," Sasuke commented, leveling a smelly glare at the beast.

"It's a long story," Naruto dismissed, thinking back to the previous encounter. "We're going to have to take this thing out in a single decisive strike. Any ideas?" Before Sasuke could answer, another presence landed between the duo.

"Darling!" Zero Two approached the blond. "You're not hurt are you?" She queried, eyeing her lover closely for any signs of injury. She had completely confidence in his abilities, but after his earlier brush with death she refused to take any chances.

"Hello Love! Never been better, " Naruto reassured the rosette. "Just trying to figure out a way to take this thing down."

Zero Two felt her worries slowly ebb away at his comforting words and she too turned to observe the klaxosaur, which was eyeing the trio critically. "Hm...Sasuke!" She suddenly called out, alarming the mentioned Uchiha. In the whole month that he had known the girl, this was the first time she had ever called him by his given name. Quite honestly, it made him feel _very_ uneasy. "Do you think you can buy us some time? I have no more chakra so I have to borrow some from Darling."

"Er...I'll do what I can," The boy responded awkwardly. While he was confident in his abilities, he has never faced a threat of this magnitude before. "How long is this going to take?"

"We'll only be a minute or two y'know!" The rosette grinned.

"Then get on with it already," Sasuke said before focusing his attention on the serpent.

Zero Two diverted her attention back to Naruto, who offered her a warm smile. "I'm sorry for being such a hinderance Darling, but I'm useless without you. Please lend me your strength," she pleaded.

Naruto's smile only widened, a feat she didn't even think possible. "You're far from useless Zero Two. It's only because of you that I've made it this far. Everything that is mine is yours as well." One of his arms snaked around her slender waist, pulling her closer.

 **"Oi! I never agreed to this!"** Kurama barked.

 _'Do you want to win or not?! Even you can't be so stubborn to recognize that we stand a better chance with Zero Two's help y'know,'_ Naruto countered.

The fox grunted in annoyance. As much as he detested the girl for taking his chakra without his permission, he couldn't deny her strength. **"Fine, Just this once!"** Kurama scoffed. **"But know that after all is said and done, I will have words with your vixen!"**

Naruto smiled, silently thanking his long time friend before directing his attention back to Zero Two. "Kurama said he's okay with you using his chakra again!"

 _'Kurama huh? So that's the Nine-Tails' name?'_ Zero Two mused. She would be sure to express her gratitude to the beast later. Her arms wrapped around the blond's neck and pulled him in, bringing their faces within mere centimeters of one another. "Then let's finish this together Darling." Naruto offered no resistance whatsoever as the rosette's lips meshed with his own. Chakra flooded Zero Two's system and column of crimson energy erupted around the couple.

The klaxosaur's attention immediately shifted to the surge of energy that the teens were giving off, but Sasuke stepped into beast gaze, returning its glare with one of its own. 'If my Sharingan really has evolved then let's see just what it's capable of.' The serpent howled and charged at the small human that dared stand before it.

Sasuke held his ground and his left eye closed as he began to channel his chakra. Reinvigorated by a fresh wave of willpower, Sasuke's eye snapped open and a single words echoed out from the farthest corner of his mind. _**"Amaterasu!"**_ Just like before, black flames were invoked at the spot where he had focused this gaze, erecting a massive barrier of fire.

 _ **"Earth Style: Mud Wall!"**_

Sasuke was caught by surprise when a slab of earth rose up from within own technique. Amaterasu's flames coated the bulwark and the teen spotted his sensei off to the side planting his hands into the ground. Sasuke smirked, thankful for the assistance but his air of confidence quickly dispersed when he saw the klaxosaur smash through the earthly rampart with no sign of slowing down.

"Tch...just die already you bastard!" Sasuke spat, instinctively holding out his hand. Much to his surprise, an ethereal ribcage constructed of purple chakra phase existence beside him, accompanied by a sturdy arm. The serpent lunged at the seemingly defenseless boy, but it's throat was seized by the phantom appendage. Sasuke's Sharingan glowed as another arm appeared, this time reeling back with its fist encased in the flames of Amaterasu. "Burn in hell you bastard!" The second arm slammed into the beast skull with a thundering crack and it was sent reeling.

As this was happening, Zero Two and Naruto separated from their loving embrace. Like before, rosette's skin and hair were tinted a fiery shade of red and Kurama's chakra formed a protective cloak around her body.

"Neh Zero Two," Naruto said, gaining the girl's attention. "Remember that bird you were telling me about?"

The rosette's head tilted at the inquiry. He was referring to the Jian, the bird that shares wings. They were especially rare, and imperfect creatures. Each only possessed one wing and unless a male and female paired up, they were incapable of flight. "What about them?"

"Well you see...its thanks to you that I was able to find a place as myself again y'know," Naruto began apprehensively. "All this time I've never felt like I belonged, at least until you came back into my life. You've believed in me every step of the way and gave me wings to fly on my own. They aren't very strong, but I dedicate them and myself completely to you. I can't do this with out you Zero Two. I...I love you."

A warm smile lit up Zero Two's features as she stared stared into his eyes, which momentarily flashed back to their original lustrous, cerulean hue for the briefest of moments. He was making her fall for him all over again and he didn't even realize it. "I love you too Darling. I always will." Strelitzia began to glow in her hand, drawing both of their attention. Naruto placed his hand on the spear and a silly grin split his face. He gently nestled Strelitzia from her grasp and in a single swift motion, he flung it skyward.

"Time to finish this Love."

"Right~!"

The ground beneath them shattered as they blurred out of sight. Sasuke smirked as he watched the spiraling helix of gold and vermilion energy rise up towards the heavens. 'It's up to you guys now!'

Naruto and Zero Two caught up to Zero Two caught up to Strelitzia just as it reached the zenith of its ascent. He took hold of the glaive with his right hand, causing the light it radiated to intensify and whirlwind exploded to life around him. Zero Two appeared at his side and wrapped an around around his waist before adding her own chakra to the weapon. Strelitzia screamed with power as the hurricane force winds ignited.

The Klaxosaur had since recovered from Sasuke's counter and was now staring up at the the chakra-shrouded teens. It let out a hiss before small black and white balls began to circulate around its mouth.

 **"What?!"** Kurama roared angrily. **"You've got to be _fucking kidding_ me right now!"**

The couple fell from the sky moments later in a blazing glory. The klaxosaur consumed the giant ball of energy before taking aim at it's target. Smoke was vented from its mouth before it's maw snapped open, expelling a concentrated beam of chakra. Naruto and Zero Two descended from the sky at an alarming rate with Strelitzia spearheading their attack. They intercepted the beam head on, causing a massive shockwave to tear through the locale. Naruto grunted as he struggled to hold on to Strelitzia, but he refused to give up. Sparing a glance at the girl beside him, he easily confirmed her unwavering resolve.

Deep within the boy's seal, Kurama began to stir. **"Let's see this bastard stand against the full night of my power!"** He expelled a powerful wave of his chakra, saturating the teens with even more power. **"Now you two, finish this!"** He commanded.

Zero Two's eyes went wide, clearly shocked by the new voice echoing inside of her head. She turned to Naruto, who flashed a bright grin her way. "Well you heard the fox!" Zero Two only nodded in response at this words.

 _"Let's fly Darling~!"_

The boost in chakra manifested into an even larger cloak around the couple. Strelitzia's blade was now emblazoned with a white hot flame that began to cut through the chakra laser. _"With the wings I share with you!"_ They called out together as they carved through the massive beam with no resistance. Upon, drawing closer to the klaxosaur's gaping maw, Naruto and Zero Two let out another cry as they gave one final push. A bright flash bathed the entire area in light. There was an ear-splitting surge of power and the world seemed to explode around them.

* * *

A pain groan filled the air accompanied by the shifting of rubble. Using his sword as leverage, Sasuke managed to push aside the slab of concrete that had pinned him down. He glanced around, trying to make sense of his surroundings but a gigantic cloud of smoke and dust had settled over the bridge. Sasuke carefully trudged his way through the smog, his teeth clenched tightly at the throbbing pain in his shoulder. He could feel it had been dislocated and the pain would only worsen if he didn't pop it back into place soon.

He stumbled out of the smokescreen moments later and bit back a curse. A large section of the bridge had been completely blown away and he would have fallen over the edge had it not been for his sharp reflexes. Staring out into the water, he immediately noticed the river than been stained by a vibrant blue substance. He caught sight of two figures standing on the water's surface and a trademark smirk split his features. "Heh...those losers actually did-ARGH!" A distinct crack followed by a pop trailed after Sasuke's pained cry. He quickly jumped away and leveled a glare at his attacker.

"Yo!" Kakashi waved lazily at his student. "You looked like you could use some help with that," he spoke nonchalantly, not phased in the slightest by the Uchiha's intensifying glower. Kakashi shifted his attention to the river below and felt his chest swell with pride. "Those two certainly have come a long way," he said to no one in particular as he slid his headband back into place over the Sharingan residing in his left socket. "Man today has been quite a day. And I think this mission is going to take even longer than anticipated..." the silver-haired man mused as he observed the severity of the damage sustained by the bridge. _'Tazuna-San is not going to be happy...'_

* * *

Naruto sighed heavily, feeling the last of Kurama's chakra evaporate from his system. He looked himself over and shuddered. His entire form was caked in klaxosaur's blood. "Gross...I really hope this stuff was-"

"Darling~!"

"Oof!"

The blond felt a force slam into his chest and he was suddenly tackled into the water. The lapse in concentration along with his fatigued state disrupted his chakra control that allowed him to stay afloat. He resurfaced seconds later, gasping for air but was given no such chance to breath when a soft sensation covered his mouth and cut off his airway.

Zero Two kissed him hungrily, ignoring the blond's pleads for oxygen. When she finally released him, Naruto staggered away, inhaling as much air as he could to fill his lungs. The sound of giggling reached his ears and he shot an annoyed look in the rosette's direction. "A little warning would be nice next time y'know!"

"Where's the fun in that!" Zero Two snorted out a laugh. The mirthful expression quickly slipped from her face, shifting to one of forlornness. "Besides, I had to make sure you were real. That this wasn't some sort of delusion..."

Naruto's expression softened. He swam up to his girlfriend an drew her into a tender embrace. He rested his forehead against hers and she stared into his eyes expectantly. "I'm just as real as I've always been Love. I believe it was you that said, and I quote "You're stick with me forever!" y'know" He said, earning a smile from the girl.

"That I did. Not even death can save you from me," she smirked. "But is it really true Darling...have you truly regained your memories?"

"Well...there's a lot that's still kind of fuzzy," Naruto said as he rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "But for the most part yeah. I remember enough. I'm sure the rest will come back to me in due time y'know!"

"Good," Zero Two nodded before punching him in the arm.

"OW!"

"If you ever leave me again, I'll kill you myself!" The rosette pouted. Naruto chuckled sheepishly, bring up a hand to scratch the back of his head.

"I promised myself a long time ago that I would never leave your side Zero Two. You're the one that's stuck with me. Besides, I still haven't kept the most important promise of all yet."

"Oh? And what's that?" Zero Two inquired, throwing her arms around his neck.

"Marrying you of course," Naruto said. His smile widened into a smirk when he saw Zero Two's breath hitch and a blush crept onto her features.

"S-Stupid Darling...that's hardly a romantic way to ask a girl y'know..."

"Oh I wasn't asking," the blond replied evenly. "But I mean if you don't want to the I suppose there's another princess out there waiting for her prin-"

"Dahliing!" The blond was silenced when a small fist drove itself into the side of his head.

"Ow! Okay, okay, I'm sorry Love I was only kidding!" Naruto cried in vain as he tried to defend himself from the rosette's assault.

"Stupid, stupid, stupid Darling!" Zero Two whined, continuing to relentlessly rain down blows on her beloved.

"Ow! Zero Two stop! I said I'm sorry!"

"Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!"

"You're going to make me drown y'know!"

* * *

A dark figure stood at the edge of the tree line overlooking the valley. He was clad in a black cloak with a hood covering his head. An orange spiral mask with a single hole peaked out from beneath the shroud, revealing a glowing red eye. "So the hybrid has attached herself to the Nine-Tails. This certainly is an interesting development..." the man spoke aloud as he observed the teens roughhousing in the river below.

He had come only to test the jinchuriki's skill, and possibly capture him if the opportunity presented itself. But the endeavor had cost Ryumaru his life. His mistress would be severely displeased that one of her guardians had been killed, and her favorite no less. "She's not going to be happy one bit," he spoke as his head panned to the individual in his grasp.

A broken and battered Zabuza hung limply in the man's hand. He had caught the mist-nin trying to launch a sneak attack against the Nine-Tails boy and he couldn't very well let the man interfere. At least now he wouldn't have to be the one to suffer from his mistress's ire. "I suppose you'll have to do for now." He hefted the swordsman onto his shoulder and spared one last glance at the couple below. He smirked beneath mask as the air around him began to distort.

"I'll be back for you soon enough Nine-Tails, that you can be sure of. Our business with you is far from finished."

* * *

Alright before any of you come at me about Sasuke, I'm going off what evidence I have at the moment.

If you watch the episode where Obito/Kakashi awaken their Mangekyō, Obito only had two tomoe in his Sharingan. But in the scene when it first activated, he had 3 before it started to change. I personally would like to think you need a fully matured Sharingan before you can awaken the Mangekyō and got me to think it just might be possible to obtain both simultaneously.

And before the question is asked (because it will be. A LOT), Naruto and Sasuke are ** _not_** going to be godlike now. For Naruto, this is just like in the "Power" filler arc where he was able to enter the Nine-Tails Chakra Form momentarily for the final fight. As for Sasuke, its not clear how much time passed from when he first activated it up until the Kage Summit Arc, so I don't know how much time he had in canon to train with it. Then again, he is a natural genius. He hadn't activated Susano'o for the first time until he fought the Raikage and he had it mastered by the time he fought Danzo.

Just take away from this that even with their new found powers, Naruto and Sasuke aren't going to be using them all willy nilly in every fight.

That is all. As always, R + R

-Chi


	15. 015

_**015**_

* * *

"Come on men put your backs into it!"

"You had better not drop those slabs Koichi!"

"At this rate, it'll take years before you boys finish this bridge!"

 _'Tazuna-san is quite the slave driver...'_ Kakashi thought to himself as a droplet of sweat formed on his brow. But then again, he wasn't to happy too see what became of his bridge after the battle. It turns out that while they were clashing with Zabuza, Haku, and the klaxosaur, Tazuna and Sakura has arrived back at his home just in time to stop a couple of Gato's goons from kidnapping Tsunami and Inari. And it was that straw that finally broke the camel's back. With Sakura's help, Tazuna was able to rally together all of the villagers and drive the shipping mogul out of town. The bridge builder mentioned something about the pinkette punching a building so hard it crumbled into dust, which was something he would have to look into himself.

That night, the entire island erupted into a festivities that lasted well into the early hours of the next morning. While his charges were busy taking part in the celebrations, which was well deserved on their part, Kakashi took it upon himself to tie up one final loose end. It didn't take long for his ninken to track down Gato. The fact that the man hadn't even left the country made the task almost trivial. He easily made short work of the portly man and his associates. While Gato himself had no bounty, some of men in his charge did, which would make an excellent addition to their pay at the conclusion of the mission. With Gato and his men gone, the Wave Village seemed to come alive once more. It was still a mere shadow of its former self, but given time and the completion of the bridge, it would prosper once again.

"Where's my cement?!"

"S-Sorry Tazuna-san, they're mixing up a fresh batch as we speak."

"I don't need apologies, I need cement!"

"Right away sir!"

"Don't you think you're being a little hard on them?" Kakashi queried as he watched the young man scamper off.

"Bah, they'll be alright when they get better," Tazuna waved him off. "Besides, I've never seen them all so motivated before. We'll have this bridge finished in to time.

"I suppose," Kakashi mused.

"Besides, we could've finished already had you all not decimated _half of our progress_." The elderly man leveled a glare at the silver-haired man, causing him to sweat.

"Er...collateral damage?"

"Yeah whatever," Tazuna grumbled as he walked off. "Alright men, take a quick ten." A collective sigh of relief escaped the labors at his words.

* * *

"I spy...with my little eyeee...somethiiing...yellow!"

"The butterfly."

"Ok then uh...blue!"

"The other butterfly."

"Orange."

"The polish on my toenails."

"Red."

"Pfft...too easy my horn."

"...Which-"

"The left one."

An awkward silence filled the air as Naruto stared down at the girl that had nestled herself into his embrace. He couldn't see her face, but he could practically feel her smirking. The arrogance was rolling off her in waves, and even more so than normal. They were deep into the forest that surrounded Wave Country's main village and Naruto was peacefully resting against the trunk of a large oak tree whilst Zero Two was reclined onto his chest.

"Ok fine!" The blond huffed. "Something small, cute, and cuddly!"

Zero Two, who was busy playing with her hair, paused to consider the description. She tilted her head upwards, greeting her beloved's annoyed expression with a toothy grin. "Why, me of course~!"

Naruto only blinked as a vacant expression settled upon his features. His gaze briefly shifted to the corner of the clearing where a rabbit was making its exit before returning to the beaming rosette. "Right..." His sarcasm was rewarded with a flick to the head.

"Ow!" Naruto whined. "I'm pretty sure this is domestic abuse y'know!"

"You're such a baby," Zero Two giggled as she brought up a hand to rub his forehead. She pushed up his hair slightly, revealing two small lumps. Naruto did his best to read his girlfriend's expression as she quietly examined the set of growths.

"You really think they could be horns?"

"I'm honestly not sure..." Zero Two murmured as she ran her fingers across the protrusions. _'Could this be because he ingested my blood all those years ago?'_ She found herself wondering. It would definitely make sense as to why Naruto was the only person who wasn't adversely affected by her bloodline.

"Guess that means I'll be the same as you now. Maybe they'll be even bigger than yours! Oh man I'm gonna be even more badass now!" Naruto gushed. His tail wagged happily, repeatedly slapping Zero Two's leg and bringing a smile to her face.

She would be lying to herself if she said the idea didn't excite her. Just thought of her blond teddy bear growing horns of his own was enough to make her salivate. "How long have they been growing?"

"Your guess is as good as mine," Naruto shrugged. He hadn't even known they were there until two days ago. "Maybe Kurama knows what's going on. I'll have to ask him sometime."

"Kurama..." Zero Two parroted. "That's the Nine-Tails right?"

"Yep! Grouchy old thing he is. But he's not so bad once you get to know him," the blond grinned.

"Do...do you think I could meet him?" The rosette queried. Naruto was puzzled by her question at first, a smile lit up his face moments later.

"Sure thing! Kurama said he wanted to talk to you anyway. Though I'm not really sure how exactly to go about that," the blond scratched his head in confusion, leaving the rosette to stare at him in bewilderment. The demon actually wanted to speak with her?

 **"I told you to stop thinking so hard all the time Naruto,"** Kurama growled. **"It's simple. You just have to meditate like normal and draw her consciousness in alongside your own. Physical contact makes the process almost trivial."**

 _'Huh...sounds like its worth a shot. Wait...how would you know if I was thinking too hard?'_

 **"Because the entire place shakes, the pipes start to creak, and I get a headache."**

 _'O-Oi-'_

 **"Would you get on with it already? I haven't got all day,"** Kurama snorted.

Naruto only huffed at the dismissal and returned his attention back to the rosette in his arms, who was watching him with a raised eyebrow. "Ok Kurama says I just have to meditate and I should be able to draw you in with me. It'll work a lot better if were touching one another."

"Oh?" Zero Two immediately sat up. She spun around to face her beloved, an impish grin crossing her features. "Why didn't you just say so~!" Before Naruto could question her actions, Zero Two shot forward, slamming her lips into his own. He was taken aback by the sudden kiss and a gasp escaped the blond when he felt her hand snake its way up his shirt.

"Z-Zero Two!" Naruto stammered as he broke away, much to the rosette's displeasure. "W-What are you doing?!"

"Touching you of course~!"

"I can't concentrate with you shoving your tongue down my throat y'know!"

"You're no fun Darling," Zero Two groaned as she slid out of his lap. She plopped down in front of Naruto, folding her arms across her chest with a huff and a displeased pout.

"Oh come on Hime, don't be like that," Naruto smiled, grabbing the rosette by her legs and pulling her closer. She gave no resistance, only turning her nose up at the blond.

"Hmph!"

"I'm serious Zero Two. Kurama is like the first real friend I ever made so this really means a lot to me." He pleaded.

 **"Friends? How dare you speak about me with such famili-"**

 _'Give it a rest already!'_

Naruto was too preoccupied with his inner demon to catch the smirk that flashed across Zero Two's face. She absolutely love how easy he made it for her. He was like putty between her fingers. "Fineeee, but only because you're so persistent. And cute."

"Awesome," Naruto exclaimed, completely brushing the fact that she was the one to ask in the first place. Bringing it up would only reset the entire situation back to square one and cause Zero Two to act even more rebelliously. He instructed her to sit across from him, to which she complied with little fuss. Naruto held out his hands, gently taking hold Zero Two's own. The two brought their foreheads together and Naruto grinned widely. "Ok so now I just have concentrate! Kurama said you should feel a slight tug and to just follow it."

"Sounds easy enough," Zero Two smiled. How could she not when her beloved got all excited like this? Naruto was constantly like a child finally getting to open presents on their birthday and his joy was just so infectious. Come to think of it, wasn't his birthday coming up soon? The rosette wasn't left much with much time to dwell on the thought as she suddenly felt the 'tug' Naruto had mentioned. Placing her faith in the blond, she allowed her consciousness to slip away and her body fell dormant.

* * *

Sasuke silently stalked his way through the forest. Having the day off, he wasn't quite exactly sure how to spend his time. They were far from home which meant that the only thing left for him to do at this point was train. And his obnoxiously hyperactive friend made for one hell of a sparring partner. The blond was always willing to trade blows. 'Friend?' He paused to consider the thought. He wasn't exactly sure when it was that he considered the Uzumaki to be a friend. At best they we're teammate with an intense rivalry between him. But if he thought about it, he wasn't particularly close to anyone back when they were in the academy and Naruto was the closest thing to the definition of a friend. Could this be what his brother meant all those years ago?

Sasuke stepped into a small alcove and sensed his teammate nearby. "Oi Los-" His voiced died out at the scene before him. Naruto and Zero Two we're sitting beneath a tall tree. They were holding hands with their foreheads resting against one another. "Hn...talk about troublesome," Sasuke scoffed. Great, now he was starting to sound like that lazy Nara from their class. It seemed Zero Two had sunk her claws into his sparring partner first. Well, if was going to be on his own he might as well test out his new Sharingan. He had seen just how powerful it was, but it would be in his best interests to learn its drawbacks and limitations as well. Better to do so in practice than in an actual fight.

"God, they aren't even awake and I still fill nauseous being around them," Sasuke grumbled as he turned to leave, a smirk settling on the young Uchiha's features.

* * *

Zero Two blinked in surprise as she took in her surroundings. She was standing in the middle what looked to be a sewer flooded with ankle deep water. "Talk about dingy..."

"There you are!" A voice suddenly called out. Zero Two spun on her heel to see Naruto emerge from a corridor. "I've never tried this before so I was afraid you might've gotten sent to like a dark corner of my mind or something."

"And just what exactly resides in said dark corner?" Zero Two asked suggestively as she placed her hands on her hips, eyeing the now pale blond.

"N-Nothing at all! It's just this place can be a real labyrinth at times y'know," Naruto quickly waved her off before taking the girl's hand. "Come on, Kurama is this way. Careful he's usually grumpy, like all the time, but he's all bark. Mostly..."

"Mostly?"

"Mostly."

"Duly noted."

Zero Two allowed herself to be led through the winding dark corridors that made up her beloved's mindscape. After a few minutes of walking, they stepped into a large open room with a massive gate resting in the middle. Naruto wasted no time approaching the structure and poked his head in between the giant bars.

"Oi Kurama! Come out you old furball! I brought company!" Zero Two merely observed with a raised eyebrow. This was supposed to be one of the legendary Tailed Beasts, and the strongest of them all no less. Leave it to Naruto to address it so flippantly. A deep and throaty growl echoed off the walls and rhythmic earthquakes began to shake the room, putting Zero Two on edge. "Don't worry about Hime," Naruto reassured the horned girl after noticing her unease. "He's just trying to show off." The quakes continued, slowly advancing towards the couple and Zero Two immediately noticed they were gradually starting to weaken in force with each subsequent tremor. Moments later, a creature emerged from the darkness.

It was a small fox, no larger than a kit, with bright orange fur and nine distinct tails trailing behind it. Kurama effortlessly stepped through a gap in his cage and a white light shot out of the sealing paper, forming a collar around his neck. He leveled a glare at his container, who was staring at him incredulously. **"What boy?"**

"What do you mean _'what'?_! Look at you!" Naruto gestured towards the demon fox with flailing arms.

 **"Yeah, what about me?!"** Kurama snarled.

"It's just you're so...so...s-"

"CUTE~!"

 **"Eh?"**

"Eh...?"

Still startled by the sudden scream, Kurama was to slow to react to the flurry of movement around him and he was suddenly lifted off of his feet. Naruto stared in shock as Zero Two coddled the small fox with stars in her eyes. "Oh can we keep him Darling~?! Please, please, pleeeeease~?!"

"Uh...Zero Two he's-"

 **"I AM NOT A HOUSE PET YOU HARLOT! PUT ME DO-"** Kurama went silent when he felt a tingling sensation behind his left ear and his building rage immediately dissipated. Zero Two's face lit up with pure jubilation as she watched the prideful demon nuzzle into her embrace.

"I'll feed and take good care of him, I promise~!" The rosette squealed as she continued to scratch behind Kurama's ear. A dumbfounded Naruto could only stare at the primordial creature, who was actually purring at his girlfriend's touch. Sensing the blond's directed gaze, Kurama let out a cough and recomposed himself before jumping out of Zero Two's arms, much to the horned girl's displeasure.

 **"A-As I was saying, I am not a pet and I will not be treated as such!"**

"Why the hell are you so small?!" Naruto gestured at the fox's miniature form. Zero Two had to admit that even she was surprised. She had been expecting a monster that was the size of a mountain and a lot more menacing.

 **"Because, it allows me to move outside the confines of that damn cage, even if it is limited,"** Kurama said as he pointed to the leash of chakra tied around his neck.

"I guess that makes sense..." Naruto mused. A grin spread across his face, causing the fox's eyes to narrow. "Though I have to say you look nothing like the all-powerful demon you claim to-OW!" The blond suddenly cried out in pain as he began hopping around on one foot.

 **"I can still put your scrawny ass in place!"** Kurama snarled, eliciting a giggle out of Zero Two. Watching him headbutt Naruto's shin was much too adorable for her to contain herself.

"Alright, Alright! Dumb old fox..." Naruto grumbled the last part under his breath. Kurama ignored the brooding blond and turned his attention to the room's other occupant.

 **"You, vixen."**

"Uh...yes?" Zero Two responded awkwardly.

 **"I hope you know just how much trouble you've caused us, and by us I mean me, over the last 10 years."**

"I'm not sure I'm following..." Zero Two tilted her head in confusion.

 **"While I have to hold this idiot responsible to a certain degree-"**

"Hey!"

 **"This was completely your doing,"** Kurama finished, not missing a beat. **"The only reason Naruto didn't escape all those years ago was because he ran into you. His annoying sense of chivalry led to you tagging along like a lost puppy, using up more rations and slowing us down."** Zero Two flinched at the beast's words, but could find no fault in them.

"Hey Kuruma that's-"

 **"Shut up Naruto, I'm not done!"** the fox leveled a hardened gaze at his container, silencing the boy. He returned his attention to the rosette, who stood before him apprehensively "Because of You we were found by the ANBU, and subsequently dragged back to that forsaken hellhole of a village." He spoke, taking note of the dejected look on her face.

 **"Yet..."** The rosette ears perked up.

 **"Even after being cast aside and forgotten, you continued to believe in Naruto. Rather than give into despair, you turned your pain into power. And with that power you grew up into the strong, determined kunoichi that stands before me today. The one that never gave up on Naruto, despite how dense he is."**

"I resent that y'know!"

 **"You were the first to acknowledge Naruto and even after a decade, your faith has not wavered in the slightest. He also has you to annoy now rather than myself, so for that you have my thanks,"** Kurama finished, offering a bow to the startled kunoichi. Her shock quickly disappeared and a grin split the rosette's features.

"Darling is a knucklehead for sure, but it's one of his more endearing qualities y'know."

"Oi who's side are you on Zero Two?!" Naruto exclaimed, his face marred by an expression of betrayal that only served to elicit a giggle out of the horned girl.

 **"Even so, it would seem I had the wrong impression of you Zero Two,"** Kurama spoke up once again. **"I acknowledge you as the kit's mate. Even if he did give you a stupid name..."**

"Hey! That was not my intention!" Naruto shot back. He was honestly starting to feel attacked right now.

Zero Two skipped over to the crestfallen bond and looped her arm around his. "I like my name. Darling gave it to me, which makes it precious," Zero Two said before flashing a warm smile in the pouting blond's direction.

 **"Even still,"** Kurama spoke up again, snorting at the display of affection. " **Your bloodline is extraordinary and one I've never encountered before."**

"The Old Man said the same thing," Zero Two shrugged.

 **"Channeling the chakra of a Tailed Beast is no easy feat, especially without a seal to contain it. Let alone actually siphoning it. I take back my initial assessment. You've found yourself an extraordinary mate kit,"** Kurama nodded with approval, ignoring the beaming girl at Naruto's side.

"Don't I know it 'y'know!," the blond beamed.

 **"Whatever,"** the fox rolled his eyes before turning his attention back to the rosette. **"I shall allow you to use my chakra as well. But you both need more practice. It is incredibly reactive to emotions and even more so to negative ones. Both of you have gone on a rampage whilst using my power."** He admonished, earning a crestfallen expression from both teens.

"You have a point. The last thing I want to do is hurt my friends," Naruto said. "But I plan to get stronger on my on so I don't have to rely on you as much Kurama. It would be best to save your power as a last result. After all, you don't want to be known as the Tailed Beast with a weak Jinchūriki," he smirked.

 **"Damn right!"**

"And I will help him," Zero Two spoke up as she smiled at the blond.

"Oh yeah Kurama," Naruto spoke up, gaining the fox's attention. "I think I'm starting to grow horns now. Do you know what that's about?"

The demon took amoment to consider the question before responding. "I think that too has something to do with Zero Two. Like your tail for example. It didn't grow until they brought you back to the hospital. I can only speculate that her blood which you ingested reacted to my chakra and caused a mutation. You did go into a four-tailed state after all," he mused. "That could be the reason why your tail sprouted so abruptly. I think being around her once more has some how reawakened her dormant DNA in your system and is thus causing further mutations."

Naruto had a blank expression on his face and tilted his head to the side in confusion. "Meaning...?"

Kurama sighed deeply and stared at the blond, irritation carved into his vulpine features. "Zero Two's blood in your system is reacting to her chakra every time she uses her bloodline with you. Your biology is slowly being altered to become more like her own. My chakra seems to amplify the effects. The longer you two are together, the more your body will continue to change."

"Oh...so I really am becoming more like her? That's...so...awesome!" Naruto exclaimed. He turned to share his excitement with the rosette at his side, but was instead met with a tentative smile. "What's wrong Hime?"

"Are you sure you're okay with this? I mean people will start to think you're more of a monster than they already do," Zero Two spoke hesitantly. Her answer came in the form a searing kiss that seemed to burn all her worries away. She blink in surprise and stared at the blond incredulously.

"Why wouldn't I be? You matter the most to me in this world so I don't give a damn what other people think!" Naruto stated adamantly, eliciting a gasp from the horned girl. "Besides, thanks to ole furball here-"

 **"Watch yourself boy..."**

"Everyone already think I'm a demon. At least now I can look the part and we can be demons together. You and me against the world remember?"

 **"Alright, alright, get a room you two,"** Kurama rolled his eyes.

"Hey this is my mind. It doesn't get anymore private than this," Naruto smirked.

 **"Nope,"** Kurama snorted as his chakra flared up around him. " **This is _not_ what're gonna do!"** Naruto and Zero Two both found themselves lifted off the ground by an unperceivable force.

"Eh?!" The teens squeaked.

 **"Away with you!"** Kurama commanded. A strong gale surged to life behind the small fox. It shot forward, slamming into the immobilized couple and sent them flying. Both were startled, but Naruto managed to recompose himself enough to voice his grievances as the duo made a swift departure.

"Oi! You dumb old fox, you can't just-"

The blond's voice bounced off the walls before suddenly cutting out, causing Kurama to sigh in relief at the blissful silence that settled into the room. **"As if the brat alone wasn't enough to deal with already..."** Kurama grumbled to himself as he made his way back inside of the cage. He could still faintly feel the lingering touch of Zero Two's fingers behind his ear and a small grin spread across the beast's vulpine features. **"But I'm happy you found someone else Kit."** It was mostly due to the fact that Naruto had someone else to pester with his antics, but he was also genuinely happy for the boy.

" **Those two are going to turn this world on it head. I can feel it in my bones,"** Kurama spoke aloud as he curled into a ball, his tails falling around him like a cocoon. " **Things are definitely going to liven up from here on out."** He wasn't certain what kind of threats or challenges lied down the road, but he would make sure they were all ready for anything.

* * *

"-my own head!"

Naruto jolted awake. He blinked rapidly, his eyes adjusting to the dimly lit glade courtesy of the towering trees overhead. He watched Zero Two's eyes flutter before suddenly snapping open. He felt a squishy sensation on his nose and watched the retreating form of the rosette's puckered lips.

"Hi Darling~!"

"H-Hey," Naruto muttered with reddening features. Even after growing immune to her constant teasing and affection, Zero Two still managed to have a robust effect on him at times.

Zero Two grinned at his dumbfounded expression, happy to still see she could garner such a reaction out of him. In truth, his words still echoed in her mind and it left her feeling all warm and tingly inside. And just when she thought she couldn't fall any harder for the blond. "Well that was fun," Zero Two yawned as she stretched out her stiffened limbs. She really hated being in one spot for too long.

"Yeah, all things considered, I think everything went well," Naruto nodded in agreement. Though if he was being honest with himself, he wasn't quite sure what to expect from his oldest friend. But in the end, the old beast had acknowledged and accepted the love of his life. _'Tch..."Love of my life." Zero Two would break if she ever heard me say that,'_ he chuckled to himself.

 **"God I'm gonna throw up..."**

"Shut up Kurama! Nobody asked you you lazy, old fox!" Naruto suddenly shouted, startling his companion.

 **"Listen here you little shit!"**

Zero Two was quickly shaken from her stupor and watched on with an amused expression as her beloved went back and forth with his inner demon. The sound a snapping branches alerted the rosette as the scent of strawberries invaded her senses. Sakura stepped into the small alcove moments later, her emerald eyes locking into the couple.

"Oh there you guys are," she smiled as she approached approached her fellow pink-haired teammate. "I was-"

"Oh my god that was one time! One time!"

Is he okay...?" Sakura inquired as she stared warily at their other teammate.

"Darling is just being Darling is all," Zero Two waved off her concern with a grin. "But what's up? I sounds like you were looking for us."

"Oh right!" The pinkette snapped her finger, remembering her original objective. "I found this beach on the other side of the island and I was thinking we could all go check it out."

"A beach?!" Zero Two exclaimed. "You mean like with the ocean and everything?!"

"Yep! Kakashi-sensei said we had the day off so what better place to spend it than at the beach. Even Sasuke-kun agreed to it."

Zero Two bounced to her feet and was quick to snatch Naruto up onto his own as well, surprising the boy. "Darling there's a beach here! With an ocean!" She all but squealed.

"Eh?!" came the blond's intelligent response as he stared blankly at his girlfriend. It took him a moment to process her words but his confused expression slowly transformed into one of realization as the gears in his head began to turn. "Oh...Oh!" He had made a promise to Zero Two when they were little that he would take her to see the ocean and he could now finally make good on that promise. "A day at the beach sounds fun. But we don't exactly have-"

"Don't worry, I have us covered!" Zero Two interjected.

"Eh...?"

"I've been preparing for this day my entire life!"

"You have...?"

"So I'll take that as a yes then?" Sakura reinserted herself back into the conversation. It was almost adorable how the two of them always seemed to be in their own little world at times.

"Very much so! Come on Darling we're burning daylight y'know!" Zero Two seized Naruto's hand in her own and began dragging him off back towards the village.

"It's only noon Zero Two. It's not like the beach is going any-"

"Dahliiing~!"

"Alright, alright, just stop pulling my arm before you dislocate it!"

Soon their voices were drowned out by the different melodies of the forest, leaving behind an amused Sakura. "Those two, I swear," she laughed before starting after the lively couple.

* * *

"Heads up Naruto!" Sasuke called out.

"Oh crap!" the Uzumaki grunted as he moved to intercept. He crouched down low, causing his feet to dig into the sand as he deflected the small object away from the ground. "Finish it Sasuke!"

"Tch, like I need to be told," Sasuke smirked. Using the blond's back as a springboard, He leapt high into the air. He spun and his Sharingan flashed briefly through his eyes as they focused on their target. _**"Lion's Barrage!"**_ Sasuke's leg slammed into the ball, forcing it to the ground below. Sand exploded into the air, forming a small mushroom cloud and leaving the group of the bystanders stunned. Well mostly.

"Whoo! Way to go Sasuke-kun!"

"Nice save Darling~!"

Naruto sprang to his feet and threw a glare at the Uchiha as he landed. "Oi! I am not a stepping stone!"

"Then stay out of my way."

"Kakashi-sensei isn't around to save your ass this time!"

"That a fact?!"

"There they go again..." Sakura sighed as she watched them start to bicker.

"Boys will be boys," Zero Two smiled.

"More like an old, married couple," Sakura muttered. The two shared a look before bursting into laughter. So far their day at the beach had been quite interesting to say the least.

Once they got back to Tazuna's house, Naruto was still going on about how they weren't exactly dressed to go to the beach. But true to her word, Zero Two was prepared. She pulled out a scroll from her bag that simply had the words _"BIG DAY"_ inscribed across the front. Sealed inside was a plethora of different gear ready for beach use, to include towels, a parasol, waterproof bags, a beach ball, and a cooler full of god knows what. She even had a pair of swimsuits for them both of them. The blond was left astounded by the extent of his girlfriend's preparation, to which the rosette wrote it off by saying she never knew when she would happen upon the ocean so she had to always be ready. Sasuke merely happened to have a bathing suit his own because he always packed for any and every environment that he could think off while Sakura brought hers because she figured a place called the "Wave Country" was bound to have a few spots to kick back and relax.

As it turns out, the pinkette's intuition was spot on. On the island's southwestern coast rested a small shoreline. It was closed off from the rest of the sea by a barricade of rocks, keeping the water calm but still allowing smaller waves to sweep across the beach. Both Naruto and Zero Two thought it was an excellent find and Sasuke was as apathetic as ever. But they weren't the only ones to think so. Upon arriving, they stumbled upon a group a teenagers frolicking about. With Gato's defeat still fresh on everyone's mind, the air of freedom was still as infectious as ever so it wasn't exactly surprising to come across a group of locals celebrating. They did live on island after all. It also wasn't very surprising when said teenagers immediately swarmed the group of genin. Word spread like wildfire in a dry forest about how they defeated the Demon of the Hidden Mist and forced the tyrant out of the country. Naruto and Zero Two of course ate up all of the praise thrown their way while Sakura was much more modest. Sasuke didn't care in the slightest. At least not until a couple of the boys challenged him and Naruto to a game of beach volleyball. While not native to the Fire Country, he'd still knew of the sport and putting a couple of civilians in their place would serve to pass the time.

"Even without them using chakra, this is still pretty one-sided y'know," Zero Two commented as Naruto prepared to serve. He was only clad in a pair of black and orange shorts, giving her eyes unrestricted access to his chiseled form. Though she wasn't the only one hungrily sizing up the blond. Zero Two's gaze shifted to the pack of harlots that had accompanied the other boys and narrowed her eyes at the trio.

"Remember they're just civilians Zero Two," Sakura spoke when she heard the rosette growl.

"Exactly, they wouldn't put up much of a fight! It would be easy to get rid of the bo-"

"Zero Two!"

The rosette met Sakura's stern expression with a rebellious one of her own before finally relenting. "Fineee! Only because it would cause trouble for Darling," Zero Two huffed with crossed arms. It's not like the people back in the village need more of a reason to despise them.

"Geez, you're like the worst fangirl I've ever seen," Sakura sighed.

"Pot," Zero Two glared at the younger girl.

"Kettle," Sakura shot back. "But seriously, it's quite amusing to see you get so worked up over Naruto."

"I do _not_ get worked up," Zero Two countered defensively.

"Didn't you nearly kill everyone on the bridge because you thought he was dead?" Sakura inquires.

"That's different!"

"How about the time that merchant's daughter clung to him the entire mission?"

"Okay that bi-"

"Or when you found out Hinata has a crush on him?"

"..."

"And let's not forget that time at the hot springs when-"

"Alright, alright!" Zero Two growled as her features turned the same shade as her hair. "Maybe just a little. But I can't help it. I haven't seen him in nine years y'know!"

"I'm honestly a little jealous," Sakura admitted. "You guys were childhood friends and ended up together. Talk about a dream come true," she sighed wistfully.

"When you say it like that, it sounds like one of those cheesy comics Darling is always reading," Zero Two grumbled. Her frown slowly shifted into a grin before bursting into a full blown smile. "I would be lying if I said I didn't agree with you."

"And I cant believe I'm actually saying this, but Naruto is like the perfect boyfriend," Sakura spoke, doing her best not to gag. Who would've thought that the class clown of all people would be boyfriend material, let alone such a stellar example of it.

"I've trained him well. Darling treats me like the princess I am," Zero Two beamed, brimming with satisfaction. "But seriously, he's my everything y'know. Life would be meaningless without him and wouldn't even be worth living. I love him with everything I am," the rosette spoke as she kept her eyes trained on her blond beloved.

"You guys are something else you know that?" Sakura shocked her head with a smile. "Haven't you ever heard the phrase _"there's more fish in the sea"_?"

Zero Two's head whipped around to face the pinkette, confusion etched onto her face. "Why would I want another when I already have my very own fishcake?"

"Doesn't he hate being called that?"

"What Darling doesn't know won't kill him~!"

"Alright!"

Both girls to see Naruto jump into the air with a fist held victoriously above his head. Sasuke stood next to him with his arms folded together, the same usual arrogant smirk marring his face.

"Oh they won already. Well that went about as well as exp-"

"Darling~!"

In a flash of moment that Sakura's eyes didn't even register, Zero Two was on her feet and making a beeline for the blond. Naruto flinched at the call of his name and his eyes bulged at the sight of the pink missile that was his girlfriend barreling towards him. _'This is gonna hurt...'_ Zero Two slammed into him at an incredible velocity, sending both teens crashing to the ground. Much to the rosette's surprise, Naruto burst in a cloud of smoke and suddenly found herself buried face down in the sand. "Phew, that was a close one," the real Naruto appeared beside Sasuke, wiping the the sweat off his brow. As much as he loved his excitable significant other and all of the affection she showered him with, it still hurt like hell at times.

"That was a dirty trick there Darling."

Naruto felt his blood freeze in his veins as a chill crawled its way up his spine. He hesitantly spared a glance in the direction of the voice and paled. Zero Two stood there flashing him a wide smile. Even with her clad in a red two-piece swimsuit that accentuated all of her delicious womanly curves, his attention was immediately drawn to the eerie red glow of her viridian eyes. "H-Hime! You surprised me!" He stammered as he watched her pick up the discarded volleyball. He didn't know what she planned to do with it but it couldn't be anything good for his health. "N-Neh remember how excited you were about coming to the beach and all the fun were gonna have?"

"Of course, how could I forget such a thing~!" Zero Two beamed as she spun the ball in her hand. "In fact, I thought of a new game to play." Without warning, she launched the ball at the unsuspecting blond. Naruto's eyes went wide and he stumbled backwards. He lost his footing in the sand and sank to the ground, just narrowly avoiding the impromptu projectile.

"Oi that almost hit me y'know!"

"That's the point in dodgeball!""

Naruto froze once more when he heard a voice behind him. His head swiveled and he caught sight of another Zero Two with the ball in her hands. "Isn't this fun _Darling~_?" She chirped before heaving the ball at the downed blond. Naruto flopped to his feet and took off with both rosette's hot on his trail.

"How is hitting me any fun?!"

"Oh I'm having _loads_ of fun~!"

The group of onlooking bystanders watched on in horror as Zero Two chased after Naruto with the volleyball, heaving it at the poor blond with incredible velocity. "Those two are always causing a scene," an annoyed Sasuke grumbled as he pinched the bridge of his nose.

"You have to admit, they definitely keep everyone on their toes," a giggling Sakura appeared at his side.

"Hn, whatever. They're still annoying."

"Dahliiing why are you running? Let me love you~!" Zero Two whined as she missed her target yet again.

"Love me from over there!" Naruto exclaimed as he spawned three shadow clones into existence.

"I bet you she catches him in the next ten minutes," Sakura grinned, earning a smirk from the Uchiha.

"I'll take you up on that bet!"

* * *

Hue!

As promised, I'm back and significantly less suicidal than before! Seriously guys, if you struggle with something like that then don't push it off like I did. Seek help.

But enough about me! And thus the Wave Arc comes to a conclusion. Next up its the Chunin Exams and you guys have _no_ idea how excited I am for this part. I have a general skeleton of how I want the rest of the story to go on from here, it's just a matter of ironing out the finer details. I'm not sure when the next chapter will be out, but hopefully not too long of a wait like this time. I knocked this out yesterday while I was high (if you can believe me) so just bear with me for now lol.

Also on a completely unrelated note, I have to stop watching anime. I went back and rewatched SAO because it's on Netflix and for the last week I have been plagued with a DitF/Naruto/SAO crossover idea. And its highly frustrating since I want to finish this story and Thunder Maidens first. Y'all pray for me.

As always, R+R, let me know what you think and its good to be back!

-Chi


	16. 016

**_016_**

* * *

"It's so bright..."

Kakashi flipped to the next page in his book before sparring a glance at his charge. "Well maybe you'll finally stop training so much in the late hours of the night."

"I can't help I have all this energy Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto whined. "I have to do something with it!"

"I can think of a few things~!" Zero Two latched onto his arm with a sultry smile.

"So annoying..." Sasuke let out a sigh.

"Y'know, if you ever stopped being so uptight and actually breathed to let some oxygen into that repressed brain of yours, you might actually find a girl willing to do the same for you," the rosette smirked. The Uchiha merely rolled his eyes and ignored her.

"Hard to believe it's already been two weeks," Sakura commented as she stared out into the horizon.

"I'll say! This place was just starting to feel like home too!" Naruto smiled.

True to his word, the damage from the battle with the Mist-nin and the Klaxosaur has erased a significant amount of progress on Tazuna's bridge. Feeling partly responsible, Naruto took it upon himself to help with construction whenever he wasn't on guard duty. Unlike the other labors, Naruto was youthful and full of vigor. He was also skilled in the shinobi arts and had the ability to make a hundred copies of himself. With the inexhaustible blond's help, the expected completion time was cut down from a month to a mere fortnight.

The squad of Leaf-nin were making their way through town towards the bridge. With bridge finally completed, trade could start up again, which in turn would allow the Wave Country to prosper once more and improve its citizen's overall quality of life. But that also meant their mission had finally concluded and it was time for them to return to the village. "I think I'll actually miss this place y'know," Naruto said was he walked, hands lazily clasped behind his head. "We'll have to come back here on vacation or something."

"Vacation?" Kakashi looked up from his book with a raised eyebrow. "What exactly would call these last couple of weeks then?"

"Oi, we worked hard for a break like that. I nearly died y'know!" The genin exclaimed.

"But did you die?"

"My heart stopped beating Kakashi-sensei!"

"But did you die?"

The jōnin 's lips curled into a grin beneath his mask at his charge's sudden silence. "That aside, you guys did well for your first S-rank mission."

"S-S rank?!" Both Naruto and Sakura squeaked, nearly tripping over their own feet. Even the normally stoic Sasuke had bulging eyes.

"Yep! Defeating an A-rank missing-nin like Zabuza is enough to raise the mission to A-rank. But encountering that beast alone warrants elevating this mission to S-rank. I'm sure Hokage-sama will agree after I give my report."

"That makes sense I guess," Zero Two mused.

"Neh Kakashi-sensei, is that because it was like that one from before?" Naruto queried. The silver-haired man turned his head and gave an affirmative nod.

"That's right Naruto." The first confirmed sighting of a klaxosaur was the one Naruto had killed while under the influence of the Nine-Tails' chakra. After that there had been two other encounters, but those did not end as well the first. The second time a chūnin cell was returning from a mission near the Wind-Country border when they just so hapened to stumble across one in the forest. Out of the four, only one came back alive, but he died shortly after in the hospital due to his injuries. The third time there were no survivors. A squad of ANBU that had been dispatched to investigate abnormal seismic activity in northern Fire Country suddenly stopped reporting in. The rescue team wasn't able to find any trace of their bodies and the only evidence left behind were a few blood samples that were confirmed to be that of klaxosaur. It was then the Hokage has declared the beasts to be S-rank level threats and all information on them was to be kept secret.

"Just what exactly was that monster?" Sasuke spoke up, derailing the jōnin's train of thought.

"That's a story for another time my cute little genin," Kakashi smiled as he walked ahead of his team, ruffling Sasuke's hair as he did. He watched the boy shrug him off with an annoyed look on his face and he couldn't help but chuckle. _'Sorry Sasuke, but even if you saw one, information on the klaxosaur is still classified. This just might satisfy the "need-to-know" requirement, but I still have to run it by Hokage-sama first.'_ Sasuke glared at his sensei's backside before casting a sidelong glance at Naruto, who was busy trying to fight off Zero Two from toying with his hair. There was a shroud of mystery around his two teammates and the Uchiha was determined to unveil it.

It didn't take long for the group to reach the bridge and they were surprised by the massive crowd that had gathered. The people of the Wave burst in cheers, eager to see off the saviors of their country. Tazuna pushed his way through the masses and approached them with a wide grin. "You didn't think we'd just let you guys leave without a proper send off did you?"

"I think this might be a bit much," Kakashi raised his hands modestly with a nervous chuckle. A bead of sweat appeared on his brow when he noticed Zero Two and Naruto reveling in the praise being thrown their way.

"Well you guys _did_ drive Gato out of our lands. And thanks to Naruto's help we were able to finish the bridge ahead of schedule. He might be a loud, annoying brat-"

"Oi you old fart!"

"But he's definitely someone who is you can depend on. You have our eternal thanks." Tazuna finished, offering a bow to the young genin.

"W-Whatever. Don't mention it y'know," Naruto huffed, failing miserably to hide the blush that coloring his face.

Zero Two smirked as she patted the blond's head before flashing a smile at the elderly builder. "Don't mind Darling. When we get back to the village he's going to be bragging about this nonstop for weeks."

"Oi who's side are you on Zero Two?!" Naruto blanched.

"Alright, settle down you two," Kakashi hushed the frolicsome duo before turning back to their client. "We were merely do our jobs Tazuna-san."

"And do your job you did," the elderly man snorted out a laugh. "As promised, I'll send a request to the Hokage to enter a trade agreement with the Hidden Leaf. We'll be able pay off our debt for the mission cost and this will prove beneficial to both our villages."

"I'm certain Hokage-sama will be pleased," Kakashi flashed his signature eye smile. "Well it's truly been a pleasure, but we should really be on our way," he offered a slight bow before turning to leave. "Come now my cute little genin. It's time to go home."

"Man this bridge is pretty long," Sakura sighed tiredly. She could already feel her feet starting to hurt and they hadn't even left yet.

"Ha, that's what sh-ow!" Naruto cried out as he recoiled away from his sensei and leveled a glare at the older man.

"Say, how's about a little contest?" Zero Two spoke up, drawing everyone's attention. Naruto quickly noted that she was smirking and she had that mischievous gleam in her eyes that always made him feel uneasy.

"What kind on contest...?"

"A race of course. Last one across has to do two shifts on watch tonight~!" The rosette beamed before suddenly taking off.

"Wait what?" Sakura blinked.

"Damn it not this again!" Naruto cursed his beloved as he sprinted after her. "That's cheating y'know!"

"Tch, how annoying," Sasuke clicked his tongue before vanishing from sight.

"Hey wait up you guys that's not fair!" Sakura called out as she set off to catch up with the others.

"They certainly are a lively bunch," Tazuna chuckled as Kakashi let out another sigh.

"You wouldn't find it as amusing if you were he one raising-"

A sudden explosion shook the ground, causing both men's eyes to go wide. They glanced down the bridge and noticed a giant cloud of smoke.

"My...my bridge! We just finished it!" Tazuna stared in horror.

"Don't worry, I promise not to let them break anything," Kakashi reassured the elderly man as a fireball burst out of the haze. He rushed off to subdue his charges, the sound of Zero Two's maniacal laughter and Naruto's pained cries spurring him to move faster. "Become a jōnin sensei they said. It'll be _fun_ they said."

"There they go," Tsunami giggled at her father's crestfallen expression. "Hey dad, have you finally decided on a name for the bridge yet?" She queried.

"Huh? Oh," Tazuna blinked. He turned his gaze back toward the bridge as a certain blond with a stupid look on his face came to mind. _'That boy...I was wrong about him. He helped save our village and even put in more work than anyone when it came to finishing up construction.'_

"Yeah. I think I have the perfect name..."

* * *

"And thus concludes my report Hokage-sama."

"I see..." Hiruzen nodded as he took another drag on his pipe. He exhaled a plume of smoke before addressing his charge. "A most unexpected turn of events."

"I was quite the rollercoaster if I do say so my self sir," Kakashi chuckled as he rubbed the back of his head.

"And you are certain there were no others around?" the elderly Kage inquired.

"Yes sir. Myself and my ninken scouted the area for two days and found no trace of another klaxosaur," the jōnin confirmed.

"And what of Zabuza?"

"Unknown sir. He disappeared when the klaxosaur appeared and hasn't been seen since. My only guess is that he escaped in the ensuing confusion and went into hiding.

"I see..." Hiruzen nodded once more as he puffed on his pipe again. While not unheard of, it was a rare occurrence for a mission could spiral out of control like such. A group of genin taking down one of the Seven Swordsman of the Hidden Mist is no easy feat, let alone killing a klaxosaur. And if Kakashi's words were to be believed then this one was the largest one yet. It was only the fourth ever to appear, at least that they knew of, but it still made him uneasy. Just how many of them were out there roaming the land?

Then there was he matter of Naruto. Never in his years would he have imagined that the boy would gain his memories back. Inoichi had assured him that the collection of memories hadn't been simply suppressed, but completely purged from the boy's mind. Was it possible that interacting with Zero Two had something to with it? Not to say that he wasn't happy for the two of them. Those two deserved to be happy after everything they've been through and he was happy that his past mistake had been corrected. But he was concerned about Naruto's use of the Nine-Tails chakra. Apparently it was nothing like the last time and he was able to maintain complete control. Not only that, but Zero Two was affected as well. _'What could this mean? Is Naruto somehow in contact with the beast sealed within him? If so, that could prove to be troubling. I'll have to sit down and have a talk with them both again soon,'_ he mused before returning his attention to Kakashi.

"I completely agree with your assessment of elevating the mission to S-rank. You all will be compensated as such but the Wave Country will only be charged for an A-rank, seeing as the klaxosaur was an unforeseen development not related to the mission. We've also received a trade agreement request from them so I'm granting your squad a bonus to your pay for securing a connection that will help better the village."

Kakashi was surprised at his leader's words, but offered a humble bow nonetheless. "Thank you sir. I'm sure my team will be ecstatic to hear the news. But there was one last thing I would like to discuss with you if you have the time Hokage-sama."

"Ah yes, I have a feeling I know exactly what you want to talk about," Hiruzen smirked as he turned on the intercom resting on the center of his desk. "Naomi-chan, send the others up now please."

"Right away Hokage-sama!"

Hiruzen reclined back in his seat and relit his pipe. A knowing grin spread across his face when he noticed Kakashi's puzzled expression. "It would be much faster and efficient to speak with all at once in regards to this matter.

* * *

"Thanks again Ayame-nee!"

"Any time Naruto!"

The blond emerged from the small ramen shop that was Ichiraku's with a certain rosette latched onto his side. "Man, that really hit the spot. Instant ramen is cool and all, but it's just not the same," he sighed contently.

"I don't see how you eat that stuff," Zero Two said.

"The same way you wolf down a whole box of honey dango," Naruto countered. "Besides, you can't tell me that meal wasn't heavenly!"

"It was enough to satisfy my hunger," the rosette replied stubbornly.

The two continued their leisurely stroll through the market district, completely ignorant of the hateful glares and sneers being thrown at them. They had gotten back in town late last night and Kakashi had given them the day off. So naturally, Naruto had decided to take Zero Two out on a date and had spent a good majority of the day pampering the haughty rosette. After about 20 minutes or so, Zero Two came to a sudden halt and let out an annoyed sigh. "How long are you three going to keep this up?" The sound of shuffling reached her ears accompanied by hushed whispering. They both turned around to spot a box sitting in the middle of the road behind them. It was painted to be the same texture as the street and had two district holes on the front of it.

 _'Pretending...to be a rock...?'_ Naruto dead panned.

A tick appeared just above Zero Two's eyebrow and she quickly snatched up the box, revealing 3 small children hidden underneath. The first was a boy with short brown hair, dark eyes that were framed by a pair of circular glasses and had a string of snot dripping from his nose. He was clad in a simple blue shirt which zipped up the middle, a pair of brown pants and sandals. The second was a girl orange hair that tied up into two very large, gravity-defying pigtails. She wore a red tank-top over a pink t-shirt layered at the bottom, grey pants and sandals. The last, and most troublesome of the bunch was a boy with short spiky brown hair, blue eyes, and a small chip in his tooth. He was dressed in grey shorts, a yellow shirt with a red Konoha symbol printed on it, and a long blue scarf that was wrapped around his neck. Each of them had a pair of green goggles strapped across their foreheads. All three of them shuddered under Zero Two's piercing gaze.

"B-Big Sister!" The girl stammered.

"You guys do realize that rocks aren't perfectly square and they don't have eye holes. It's totally obvious y'know," Naruto shook his head in amusement.

"As expected from the man I respect. You are my eternal rival after all!" the boy in yellow stepped forward, obviously the leader of the trio. "Alright guys, all together now!"

"God no, please don't!" Zero Two pleaded.

"With an adult sexiness, I'm Moegi of the senior class at Kunoichi Preschool!"

 _'There they go again...'_ Naruto mentally groaned.

"And I love factoring, Udon!"

 _'Annoying brats...interrupting yet another date,'_ Zero Two cursed.

"And I, the most brilliant ninja in the village, Konohamaru!"

"And together, we are the Konohamaru Corps!" The children collectively exclaimed.

"We know already," Naruto rolled his eyes. Konohomaru was the Hokage's grandson and he'd taken a liking to the blond. A few years ago, Naruto had shattered the ideal instilled within the boy by his perverted teacher that one cannot simply rely on their legacy or status to become Hokage. Ever since that day, the boy had declared that Naruto was his rival and that he would surpass him and become Hokage first.

"Oi, your reactions have been pretty cold these days!" Konohamaru pointed an accusatory finger at the blond, who stared down at the boy with a blank expression.

"So...did you want something?"

"See what I mean! Cold!" Konohamaru exclaimed to Udon. Ignoring her counterparts, Moegi took a step forward. "Um, are you busy right now Big Brother Naruto?"

"Very," Zero Two said as she folded her arms across her chest.

"You heard the lady," Naruto chuckled nervously.

"What?!" Konohamaru whined. "You said you would play Ninja with us the day after you got back!"

Zero Two's gaze shifted dangerously to the blond, who was beginning to sweat. "Whaaaaaa? Is that right now..."

"No fair! You never play with us anymore! Ever since that ugly wench-" Konohamaru choked on his own words when a malicious aura suddenly descended upon him. He shakily turned to see Zero Two's hardened eyes baring down on him. The fact that her eyes and horns glowing while her hair seems to dance about as if it had a will of its own made her look even more sinister.

 _"Ugly... **wench**...?"_ The rosette growled as she cracked her knuckles. "Neh, that wasn't very nice... _Konohamaru-kun_." The young boy was frozen in place by her stare alone and he felt his heart stop when she vanished from sight. Konohamaru felt the air around him shift suddenly and a pained cry reached his ears. His eyes widened in fear when he noticed he was standing where Naruto once was and the blond was laid out flat on the ground.

"R-Run...Konohamaru..." Naruto gasped. He managed to substitute with the boy to in just the nick of time. As annoying as the boy was, he still couldn't very well let his beloved punch the Hokage's grandson into next week. Konohamaru felt a chill race up his spine when Zero Two smiled at him and he immediately took off running. He turned down a back road in hopes of losing the rosette, but he could practically feel her breathing down his neck. Not aware of his surroundings, the small ninja-in-training collided with a hard object and was knocked onto his butt. "Owwie!" Konohamaru rubbed the sore spot on his forehead and looked up to see a person towering over him.

It was a boy around Naruto's age wearing a black, baggy, full body suit with a red and yellow circle on the front. His head was covered by a black hood with cat-like ears and a forehead protector affixed to it. His face was covered with a strange triangular face-paint design. The boy snatched Konohamaru up by his throat, eliciting a cry out of the boy. "That hurt you little brat."

"Stop that," a girl landed beside him. She had teal eyes and sandy blonde hair that was gathered into four consecutive pigtails. Her outfit consisted of a single light purple-coloured, off-the-shoulders garment that extended to halfway down her thighs, with a scarlet sash tied around her waist. Her shoulder, left thigh, and right calf were covered by fishnet and a black headband hung around her neck. "You're just going to get yelled at."

"I suggest you listen to her," Zero Two appeared before them, with Udon and Moegi hiding behind her legs. "Or I'll do _a lot_ worse than yell at you." She immediately recognized the insignia on their forehead protectors and her eyes narrowed. _'What the hell are Sand-nin doing here?'_

"Oh? Don't worry Temari, I think we have some time to play around with you before the strict one shows up," the boy smirked, tightening his grip on the struggling Konohamaru.

"Whatever Kankurō," this girl shrugged. "This isn't on me."

"L-Let...go!" The small child cried.

"I think you need to be taught some manners," the boy, now identified as Kankurō, chuckled.

 _ **"It wasn't a request."**_

Kankurō blinked at the demonic tone and was too slow to react to the hand flying towards his face. While not a punch, the impact alone was enough to practically shake his brain loose inside his head and forced him to release his captive. Kankurō was lifted off his feet and violently slammed into his back, forcing all the air out of his lungs. "K-Kankurō," Temari exclaimed. She hadn't even seen what happened. Some blond boy appeared out of thin air and knocked her brother off his feet. Strangely enough, this other boy had a tail and the malevolent aura he gave off was very reminiscent of her other sibling. _'This is bad!'_

Naruto had the older Sand-nin pinned to the ground and slowly lifted him up by his throat, much like he'd done to Konohamaru moments before. The fear-stricken Kankurō found himself paralyzed in the blond's grasp. **"Coming into our village and attacking the Hokage's grandson? _You're_ the one needs to be taught manners!"**

"Right on time Darling~!" Zero Two exclaimed. "Guess than means I won't get to kill him now though," she pouted as she patted a trembling Konohamaru on the head. He was hiding behind her along with the others.

"Oi, Let him go Naruto," a voice suddenly called out. Everyone turned to see Sasuke standing on a tree branch overlooking the road. "Even if he's in the wrong, killing a foreign ninja would be an international incident and cause trouble for the village."

"Tch...fine," Naruto scoffed as his features returned to normal and tossed Kankurō aside. Matters concerning the village didn't mean much to him these days, but the last thing he wanted to do was cause trouble for the Old Man.

 _'Wow...their actually pretty cute. The blond one even has a tail!'_ Temari mentally gushed.

Kankurō was quick to recover and glared at Naruto. "You bastard!" He pulled off the large package strapped to his back and slammed it down in front of him. "Let's see you try that again!"

Naruto merely stared back at the older boy with a disinterested gaze. _'This guy just doesn't know when to give up...'_

"Kankurō...stop that."

The entire group flinched at the subtle voice. It was soft and low, yet had a ominous edge to it. Naruto eyes snapped upwards and caught sight of another boy standing upside down on a branch opposite of Sasuke's. _'When the hell did he get there? His stealth must at least be on par with Kakashi-sensei.'_ The other boy was the smaller than Kankurō. He had fair skin, green eyes, and short auburn hair. He wore a black body suit with an open neck, t-shirt-like sleeves, and almost full-length leggings. Accompanying this was a white cloth over his right shoulder and the left side of his hips. There was a wide leather band that ran from his left shoulder to his right hip that wrapped around a giant sand gourd strapped to his back. But what stood out the most was the "love" tattoo above his left eye.

"You're such an embarrassment to the village."

"G-G-Gaara!" Kankurō stuttered as all the color drained from his face.

"Do you even remember why we came to the Leaf Village in the first place?" The boy known as Gaara narrowed his eyes.

"J-Just hear me out Gaara!" Kankurō raised his hands, struggling to gather his words. "They lashed out at us first so I had to defe-"

"Shut up...before I kill you."

"U-Understood! I was wrong. I'm really, really sorry." The browned haired boy bowed before the redhead. Gaara's eyes lingered on his brother before shifting towards Naruto. The two held eye contact for a few seconds as they sized one another up.

 _'This guy makes my skin crawl...he's dangerous for sure.'_

 _'To think he was able to pick up Kankurō as if he weighed no more than a feather. This guy is...good.'_

"I apologize for my sibling's actions." Gaara spoke first.

"Yeah, well just make sure to keep cat-boy over there on a tighter lease from now on," Naruto waved him off dismissively.

"You want to say that to my-" Kankurō immediately went silent when Gaara's gaze fell on him. The redhead evaporated in a swirl of sand and reappeared between Temari and Kankurō.

"Let's go. We didn't come here to play with children," he said before walking away.

"Hold on a sec," Zero Two spoke up, halting the trio. "You lot are from the Sand Village right? So what are you doing here?"

"Hmph! So this is what they mean by the darkest place under the candlestick," Temari sighed as she turned around. "Surely you know about it?" She queried. The blonde presented a small card with her picture on it. "This is my permit. And you're correct, we are genin from the Hidden Sand Village. We're here to participate in the Chūnin Exam." Temari explained before turning to leave once more.

 _'I see. So it's that time of year already,'_ The rosette mused.

"Chūnin...Exam?" Naruto's head tilted in confusion. This earned him a giggle from Zero Two and she ruffled his hair, much to the blond's annoyance. "Worry not Darling, I'll explain later."

"Yeah, yeah," Naruto groaned as he shrugged away from her. "Hey you! What's your name?"

"Huh?" Temari looked back, a blush crawling across her features. "Do you mean m-me?"

" _Most certainly **not**_ ," Zero Two smiled at the other girl, causing her to recoil away from the unnerving rosette.

"I mean the half-pint with the gourd," Naruto clarified. Gaara came to a stop and horrified expressions were etched onto Kankurō and Temari's faces. He simply turned to face the blond with a bored expression.

"I am Gaara of the Desert. I too have an interest in you. What is your name?"

"Why me, I'm Uzumaki Naruto. The greatest ninja around these parts!" The blond grinned.

"Like hell," Sasuke scoffed.

Gaara continued to stare Naruto down for a few seconds before turning and leaping away with Kankurō and Temari in tow.

"Creepy much," Zero Two spoke disdainfully.

"That guy...he's the same as me," Naruto stated, staring ahead at the spot where Gaara once stood. Zero Two immediately understood what he meant.

"How do you know?"

"I could just feel something...evil emanating from him. Something sinister. He's definitely powerful," the blond said.

"I guess that makes sense..."

"Also, Kurama just told me."

The blond was rewarded with a smack to the head and he threw a glare in Zero Two's direction. He then suddenly remembered Sasuke's presence and turned to address the Uchiha. "By the way Sasuke, what bring you here?"

"Kakashi-sensei has summoned us. Said it was important."

"Huh? Must be if he wants us all to meet up on our day off," Naruto shrugged. He felt three bodies crash into his legs and he glanced down to see the Konohamaru Corps hugging onto him for dear life. They each had tears in their eyes and were sobbing uncontrollably.

"You saved me Big Brother Naruto!"

"That was so scary!"

"Big Brother Naruto!"

Naruto just stood there with a blank expression, not exactly sure what to do. He looked to Zero Two, but she was too busy snickering and Sasuke was the _last_ person he would ever ask on how to console a person, let alone children. "Alright, alright you guys everything's fine now," he reassured them with a soothing tone. The trio wails gradually quieted down to a calm sniveling. "Sorry, but something come up and I gotta take off you guys."

"But-"

"No buts!" He interrupted Konohamaru, silencing the boy with a finger to his lips. "We'll play some other time, I promise. Now run along and try to stay out of trouble this time."

"No can do boss! Trouble is my middle name! Come on guys, let's go prank Ebisu-sensei!" Konohamaru exclaimed with a fist lump. Udon and Moegi mimicked his action with a cry of their own and the Konohamaru Corps sped off down the road.

"Look at you Darling~! Who knew you were so good with kids," Zero Two grinned, causing the blond to roll his eyes.

"Whatever, lets just get a move on and she what Kakashi-sensei wants. My show start in half an hour," Naruto said before jumping away.

"Hey wait tonight is my night for the TV!" Zero Two yelled as she chased after him. A tired sigh escaped the lone Uchiha as he pinched the bridge of his nose before taking off after his teammates.


	17. 017

017

* * *

Dusk quickly overtook the village as the sun began to dip below the horizon, tinting the skies with spectacular shades of violet and orange. It has been said that watching the sunset from atop the Hokage Monument is one of the most beautiful sights to behold in the entire world. At least that's what his sensei had told him before. Kakashi had never bothered see whether or not it was true so he would just have to take his word for it. He stood reclining against the post of a small bridge in the middle of a park that had become his team's usual meeting spot, lazily reading through his Icha Icha book as always. Sakura stood not too far away from him impatiently tapping her foot with a disgruntled expression. She hadn't been to happy about being pulled away from her family dinner but he had important news to share with his underlings. _'Hopefully the others get here soon before she snaps at me. Again...'_ he thought as he flipped the page of his book.

His senses picked up three chakra signatures rapidly closing in on their position, prompting him to put away his book. _'Speak of the Devil.'_ Naruto came somersaulting out of the trees and landed in front of him.

"He sticks the landing! And the crowd goes wild!" The blond grinned, imitating the noises of a cheering crowd as he bowed to no one in particular.

"I've seen better. I give it a solid six out of ten. Seven at most," Kakashi said nonchalantly.

"Man these judges are tough..." Naruto groaned, his swelling pride quickly deflated. Sasuke and Zero Two landed behind him moments after, the latter's face marred with a disgruntled expression.

"You cheated Darling!" She whined.

"Ha! That's rich coming from _you_ y'know!" Naruto retorted.

"Girls, girls, you're both pretty," Kakashi stepped in, earning an annoyed glare from the blond. "I have something important to talk to you about then you can be on your merry way." With the more rambunctious of his students effectively silenced, the jōnin cleared his throat. "Now then, I cal-"

"Neh Kakashi-sensei, what's a Chūnin Exam?" Naruto blurted out, causing the silver-haired man to sigh.

 _'It's like he has a knack for these sorts of things,'_

"Well Naruto, I was just about to explain before you jumped the gun and interrupted. _Again_."

"Oh..ha..is that so..." the genin rubbed his head sheepishly as his sensei bared down him with a displeased glower. "A-As I was!"

Kakashi shook his head before taking a second to gather his thoughts. "Now then, this might be rather sudden, but I have recommended all of you for the Chūnin Exam. Here, I have your applications," he said as he retrieved forms for each of them from his pack. Naruto looked over his own scrutinously with a puzzled expression before turning back to his teacher.

"Okay that sounds neat and all but just what exactly is this exam?" He inquired.

"That being said, participation is not mandatory. You alone have to decide if this is something you want to do," Kakashi continued, completely ignoring the blond.

"Oi Kaka-"

"Those who do want to participate must show up to room 301 at the academy no later than 10 am five days from now. That was all. Enjoy your time off."

"Ka-"

"Later!"

The jōnin offered a brief wave to his charges before dispersing in a cloud of smoke as Naruto stared in disbelief. "Damn it he didn't tell us anything!"

"It's fairly simple Darling," Zero Two giggled. "As per the name, the Chūnin Exam is an opportunity for genin to be promoted to chūnin. The exam structure and evaluation processes differ from one exam to the next so that genin cannot come prepared, with each normally being held bi-annually. Villages originally held their own individual exams but after the Third Shinobi World War, villages started taking turns for hosting responsibilities. This was done to improve relations between the villages, present up-and-coming ninja to clients, and also create an opportunity for gambling," she explained.

"Oh...I see," Naruto nodded, bringing a hand to his chin as he began to ponder. "So basically we're going to compete against other genin teams and whoever wins get promoted?"

"Something like that. Though it is not necessary to actually pass the exams. If the observing proctors or the Daimyō feel a genin displays the necessary qualities for a chūnin, that genin will be promoted regardless of how they place in the exams," Zero Two responded.

"Ha! To hell with that. We're going to pass this test with flying colors and prove that Team Seven is the best squad around!" Naruto exclaimed with a fist pump.

"For once, I think we actually agree on something," Sasuke smirked, earning a cheeky grin from his blond counterpart.

"Hold on guys, I think you're making this sound easier than it is," Sakura spoke up.

"Pinky has a point," Zero Two agreed. "Even though we'll be facing other genin, that doesn't mean they won't be tough opponents. I mean we're pretty strong in our own right but that Sand trio we ran into earlier seemed to be quite powerful as well. Especially the creepy redhead."

"Bah! You're thinking too much into it Hime," Naruto waved dismissively. "But I do think you have a point. I have a feeling this will be tougher than our last mission and we can't afford to slack off. These next five days will be perfect to get some training in. One can never be too prepared after all."

"I can't believe I'm saying this, but Naruto is right..." Sasuke said, surprising everyone else as much as he did himself. "Actually, that might be the smartest thing he's ever said."

"O-Oi!"

"I don't know..." Sakura spoke apprehensively. "I mean you guys did all of the work last time. I just hide back in the shadows."

"There's more to being a ninja that kicking ass and taking names Sakura," Zero Two spoke up in an effort to console her fellow pinkette.

"Yeah's there's also badass Jutsu- oof" Naruto grunted after receiving an elbow to the gut courtesy of his girlfriend.

"Ignore him. Stealth is just as important as having an arsenal of powerful techniques. Besides, it's not like you've hit your peak. We're still young and have plenty of room to grow," Zero Two placed a hand on her teammate's shoulder and gave her a reassuring smile. Sakura might not have the massive reserves of chakra like the rest of them, but she definitely had the best control by far. She would be the perfect fit for a medic-nin to round out their team's abilities, but sadly there was no one in the village with such a skill set that should would be able to learn from.

"Thanks Zero Two," Sakura smiled meekly. The rosette's words were enough to lift her spirits. The last thing she wanted was to be come a hindrance to the team. She would have to work extra hard and strive to catch up with the rest of them.

"Guess it's settled then. We can all meet up tomorrow and train as a group," Naruto exclaimed excitedly.

"It wouldn't hurt to have some strategies on hand before we go in," Zero Two mused. "We don't know exactly what to expect so being as prepared as possible is the best choice." While their individual strengths made them an effective cell, they still had quite a ways to go when it came to teamwork.

"So I guess that means we're finished here," Sasuke gave his input. He noticed Zero Two was staring at him warily which only served to annoy him. "What?"

"Nothing...you're not as angsty anymore. It's kind of weird actually," Zero Two replied.

"Hn." The Uchiha grunted in annoyance before vanishing from sight.

"He said _"Whatever, I'm going home now. I'll see you tomorrow for training."_ ," Naruto smirked, causing Zero Two to stare at him incredulously.

"Since when do you speak Sasuke?!"

"Well when you hang around the guy long enough, it's actually quite easy to pick up y'know," he shrugged. "Anyway, we should probably call it a day. It's practically dark already."

"Yeah I'm gonna head back home before my parents get worried turn the whole village over looking for me," Sakura said. She bid the couple farewell before making a swift departure.

Naruto let out a yawn as he stretched out his body before turning to his beloved. "Let's head home Hime. I only have 5 minutes before my show starts."

"Oh no you don't!" Zero Two forcefully jabbed her fingers into his chest. "The new episode of _"All My Love"_ comes on tonight and I'm not going to miss it just so you can watch your stupid cartoons!"

"It's called _anime_ and it's not a _cartoon_!" Naruto huffed. A devilish grin split his features which made Zero Two feel uneasy. "Besides, the real me is already halfway home. Have fun catching up Hime~!" The blond laughed maniacally before bursting in a cloud of smoke, leaving the rosette stunned.

"W-What...when did..ARGH!" Zero Two let out a frustrated growl. She let her guard down and Naruto had used the opportunity to substitute with a shadow clone. He was becoming annoying good at it. "I'll kill him!" She roared before taking off after the fleeing blond.

* * *

"Let me see it!"

"No, it's private property!"

"Yeah, _my_ property. I going to see it eventually so you might as well show me now y'know!"

"I beg to differ!"

Naruto leapt to the other side of the room with Zero Two literally hot on his tail. Naruto made a break for the bathroom only to be intercepted by a pouncing Zero Two. "I said show me!" She growled as she wrestled with the blond.

"Never!" Naruto grunted as the rosette continued to force herself on him.

"You're acting like such a girl!"

"Stick and stones can break my bones, but words will never hurt me!"

"Oh I'll _break_ something alright!"

Naruto jerked away violently only to be caught by an elbow to the nose. "Ow!" The object nestled in his grasp was ripped away by Zero Two in a flash.

"Ha!" she laughed as she held up the paper victoriously.

"Give it back!" Naruto cried desperately, lunging for the rosette.

A small foot slammed into his cheek, halting his advance. Naruto let out a growl as he tried to maneuver around the small appendage, but all of his advances were swiftly rebuffed. With the blond successfully kept at bay, Zero Two took it upon herself to examine the parchment she had swiped from him moments before. It's was a crudely drawn stick figure. He was completely orange and on its head were a series of yellow spikes. He was surrounded by a bright red cape and wielded a shiny sword. "Pfft..." Zero Two left out a very unladylike snort. "BWAHAHAHA!" she burst into laughter. "WHAT THE HELL IS THIS?!"

The color immediately drained from Naruto's face before lighting up like an S-rank Fire jutsu. He snatched a pillow off of his bed and buried his face into it. "Okay this drawing stuff is harder than I thought y'know! That's why I didn't want to show you!" He whined.

"Oh man..." Zero Two finally breathed in as her laughter began to settle. "This picture is approved!"

"Wait what?" Naruto cast aside the the pillow and stared at the rosette as if she'd grown a second head. Zero Two giggled at his reaction and eyed the paper once more, giving it a nod of satisfaction.

"It's perfect Darling. I love it~!"

Naruto was still staring in disbelief. After he had seized total control over the television, much to his girlfriend's ire, she took it upon herself to partake in one of her more modest hobbies. He would've never guess that the horned girl had an aptitude for art. Zero Two had somehow memorized every page from her old picture book and was currently working to recreate the one that had been lost long ago. It always awed him just how much detail she put into each picture and he was even more amazed at her attention to detail. It was almost as if he were looking at the original. He had jokingly offered to help her finish, to which the rosette jubilantly accepted. The only problem was that unlike like his beloved, Naruto couldn't draw to save his life. Even his calligraphy was barely recognizable, a fact that Zero Two has refused to let him live down. This was exactly why he tried to keep his drawing away from her. He knew she would laugh, but he wasn't expecting her to actually like it. "Well it's not like I could take it back from you even if I wanted to y'know..." he grumbled.

Zero Two dove across the room and landed on his chest, flashing a bright smile. "Nope~!" She shot forward, crashing her lips against Naruto's own, to which the blond gave no resistance. She pulled away with a smile and laid her head on the blond's chest. Naruto couldn't help but smile in return as he gently ran his fingers through her hair. They sat like this in silence for what felt like hours, content to just be in one another's embrace.

"Neh Darling..." Zero Two spoke up suddenly, gaining the blond's attention. "Do you ever still think about y,know...leaving?"

"The village? All the time," Naruto responded casually as he continued to stroke her hair. At least until Zero Two sat up and eyed him incredulously. "What? Is there something on my face?"

"You're serious?!"

"Why wouldn't I be?" Naruto's head tilted in confusion.

"I mean it's not like it'll be as easy as walking out like last time. Plus we're ninja now. If we left now that would be desertion and not to mention you're a Jinchūriki! That alone is enough to have full might of the village come down on us y'know!" Zero Two exclaimed.

"Well we can always resign as ninja. It's voluntary after all. But you're right about the other thing," Naruto sighed as he stared up at the ceiling. "Even though Kurama nearly destroyed the village all those years ago, the fact that he's now sealed within me ironically makes me a major asset to the Hidden Leaf. A weapon..."

"Exactly..." Zero Two's shoulders sagged. She was just as valuable as he was and there was no way someone like Danzō would ever let them leave. The man was powerful and with his Root force and underground connections, escape was simply not an option. "We're stuck here..."

"Only for the time being."

Zero Two's eyes widened and she looked up to see Naruto with his trademark obnoxious grin plastered on his face. "As we are now, there's no way we would get away from people like that Danzō guy. He'll definitely come after us again which is why we have to get stronger."

"Darling..."

"I mean I figured it would take some time, but that neat little trick you showed me with the shadow clone will definitely help speed things along. For now we'll just stick to being ninja. If we keep running into opponents like Zabuza then we'll definitely get stronger in no time!" Naruto finished with a pump of his fist. He noticed the girl nestled in his arms staring at him in awe and couldn't help but smile.

He knew all to well about much she absolutely loathed the man known as Danzo. But even so, the man struck fear in her heart. He had managed to break Zero Two's physical bonds, but the man still had her shackled in many ways unseen. Ever since his lost memories had come back to him, Naruto had made it his goal to break those chains, erase the fear in his beloved's heart, and fulfill the promise he made to her all those years ago. He would be her knight in shining armor and protect her against all threats physical and mental. But in order to to that, he first had to get stronger. _'I can't hope to protect Zero Two if I can't even protect myself...'_

"I did say I was going to take you around the world didn't I?" Naruto smiled, causing the rosette to return the gesture with a meek one of her own.

"Well yeah, but-"

"Then it's settled then! First we're going to ace this chūnin test or whatever and get promoted. Then we can go on all kinds of missions and fight strong opponents! Those I guess we could also save up as well. Probably would be a good idea to-"

Naruto's words fell on deaf ears as Zero Two continued to gaze fondly at the blond. This had been a problem that had been troubling her for quite some time now, and in the end she had resigned herself to spending the rest of her days in the Leaf. As long as they were together, she didn't really care where they lived. But here Naruto was telling her that he had no intentions of staying. A part of her wanted to contest his declaration. She knew all to well just how powerful Danzō was and the countless resources he had at his disposal. But Naruto...he was known as the Number One, Knuckled-head, Hyperactive Ninja for a reason. The blond had a knack for pulling off the impossible and he just mades you want to believe in him. So that's what she would do. If he said he was going to get them away from the village then she would place her unwavering faith in him.

"-than ramen, but we'll cross that bridge when we get there. Oh we could also-"

"Naruto."

Th blond's attention snapped to the girl in his arms. She hardly ever called him by his name. In fact, he could count on one hand how many times she had directly addressed him by name. He must've slighted her recently. Zero Two had a knack for holding a grudge but he just could not think of anything he could've done wrong. She wasn't still and over the TV was she? "Er...yes ma'am?"

"I love you."

Naruto merely blinked at her response. It seemed he had put too much thought into his beloved's ulterior motives. "I love you too Zero Two." He smiled at her. The rosette beamed at his response and nuzzled deeper into his embrace with an excited squeal.

"I've been thinking Darling..." she said.

"Oh god, that can't be good..."

"I'm being serious!" She slapped his arm, earning a chuckle. "I think we should tell Sasuke and Sakura about Kurama."

This was certainly not what Naruto was expecting to hear. "Really? What makes you say that?"

"Well think about it. We still have to train with him to stand a chance. They are bound to find out sooner or later. Hell, Sasuke fought The klaxosaur with us so I'm sure he's starting to become suspicious already. If we're going to be a team, it'll be easier for them to just hate us now rather than later over the matter y'know." Zero Two explained.

"Yeah I guess that makes sense..." Naruto mused. "I'm not too sure about Sakura, but I don't think Sasuke will care. If anything. He'll see it as an advantage I have over him and train even harder. He does have that weird new Sharingan after all."

"I think we can both agree on that," Zero Two laughed as she sat up, now straddling the blond. "Are you sure about this Darling? I'm behind you 100%, But this won't be easy."

"Life would be boring if it were easy y'know!" Naruto laughed. "Life is full of challenges after all. This is our first of many and we'll overcome them all the same."

"Can you just not be so damn positive for like two seconds? You're making it hard to not fall even more in love with you y'know..." Zero Two grumbled before smiling up at the blond.

"No can do!" Naruto grinned. "You're stuck with me and all of my weird quirks now Hime!"

"I wouldn't have it any other way~!"

The two shared a passionate kiss, letting all of their worries dissipate as they embraced one another.

* * *

Sasuke stared at the empty training ground with a frown. Last night, Naruto had sent one of his clones to inform him that they were all meeting up at 10am for training, yet the blond was nowhere to be seen. Actually, none of them were. He could only assume Naruto had told Sakura as well, the most anal person in their squad, and even she was late. Naruto was loud and annoying, but even he was never late when it came to training. He suddenly heard movement within the trees and looked up to see an orange blur plummeting towards the ground.

"Geronimo!"

"Woo hoo~!"

A cloud of dust exploded from the ground, obscuring the entire field with dust. Sasuke used his arm to shield his face with an annoyed grimace. Familiar voices reached his ears as the dust began to settle.

"Again! Again!"

"I'm not a horse y'know..."

"Daaahling~!"

He caught sight of Naruto offering a hand to Zero Two, who was seated on the ground with a pout. Did they have to always be like this? One of them alone had enough energy that just being around them was enough to make him tired.

"Oh hey Sasuke!" Naruto waved to his brooding friend. Sakura stumbled out of the bushes seconds later struggling to catch her breath. "Why'd you guys leave me?! You know I'm nowhere near as fast as you Naruto!" She panted.

"Ah...sorry about that Sakura," Naruto scratched his head. "You know how pushy Zero-"

"Who's pushy?!" Zero Two roared, slamming her fist down on Naruto's unsuspecting head.

"Ow!" He recoiled in pain and level a glare at the rosette. "That's it, I'm not giving you anymore piggyback rides y'know!" Naruto huffed, causing all of the color to drain from Zero Two's face.

"Wait no, I'm sorry Darling!" she pleaded, immediately regretting her actions. Ever since he got his memories back Naruto had started being more rebellious. She didn't like it. "I love you remember?"

"Hmph!" Naruto turned his back to her. "And I love you too. Enough to let you walk on your own. It builds character y'know."

"Daahliiiing~!"

"CAN YOU TWO NOT RIGHT NOW?!" Sasuke suddenly snapped, finally growing tired of their antics. His teammates stared at him with varying expressions.

"Well someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed it seems..." Naruto grumbled.

"Yeah, what's got your panties in a bunch?" Zero Two queried, matching the Uchiha's glower with a smirk of her own as she rested her hands on her hips.

"Um...guys," Sakura spoke up. "I thought we were supposed to be training today? We can't exactly do that with you guys trying to tease Sasuke-kun all the time."

"Way to ruin the fun Sakura," Naruto pouted.

"Talk about a buzzkill..." Zero Two scoffed.

Sasuke merely snorted in annoyance at the couple before offering a thankful nod to Sakura, who's face now matched the shade of her hair.

"Alright, I guess Sakura has a point," Naruto relented. "But before we get to that, I wanted to talk to you guys about something. It's...rather personal y'know."

Sasuke's annoyed expression was immediately replaced by one of curiosity. This just might prove to be the perfect chance to get some answers to his long awaited questions.

"Who are you and what have you done with Naruto...?" Sakura stared down the blond suspiciously, eliciting a giggle of of Zero Two. "The _real_ Naruto could never be this serious, so who are you?"

"I'm not kidding!" Naruto huffed. "I'm trying to divulge some heavy stuff here y'know!"

"Alright, alright Naruto, don't get your panties in a bunch," Sakura giggled. She locked eyes with Zero Two and they both smirked. "What is it you wanted to tell us?"

"Now as I was _SAYING_ ," Naruto stared down at Sakura haughtily before clearing his throat. "Okay...what do you guys know about the Nine Tail's attack on the village 15 years ago?"

Sasuke's eyes narrowed ever so slightly. He was quick to pick up on the blond's change in demeanor and his tone was much more serious than it was moments before.

"You mean when that giant Tailed-Beast nearly destroyed the village?" Sakura's head tilted in the confusion. They didn't cover the topic of Tailed Beasts very much in the academy. All they were told was that they were extremely powerful and incredibly dangerous. "The Fourth Hokage killed it and saved us all if I remember correctly. But that's that got to do with anything?"

Naruto sighed as he looked to Zero Two. He really didn't want to do this but she was giving him this warm reassuring smile, urging him to press on. "This could take a while so you guys might want to sit down," he said as he found himself a comfortable position on the ground. Almost immediately, Zero Two's head plopped down on his lap, grinning brightly as she did. Naruto rolled his eyes and focused his attention back on his teammates as his fingers began to intertwine with Zero Two's silky tresses. "I'm not good with words and there's no easy way to explain so I'll just come right out with it."

* * *

"My, my, what's this we have here?" Hizuren exhaled a cloud of smoke as he gazed into his crystal ball. He was originally just planning to use it to track down Naruto and Zero Two so that he could send an ANBU to go fetch them, but it seemed he had stumbled on a rather peculiar turn of events. The genin of Team Seven were at their regular training ground sitting in a circle, but something was off. Naruto had a downcast expression as he spoke while Zero Two kept a neutral one as she gently rubbed his back. He couldn't hear what they were saying, but judging from Sasuke's and Sakura's stunned faces, he had a pretty good idea of what the topic of conversation was. _'So he decided to tell them huh?'_

"Still using that creepy old crystal ball to spy on people I see," a voice boomed behind him. It was much too familiar to the elderly man to startle him. After all, this person had been trying to get the drop on him for over 40 years now. "When are you going to let me borrow it and put it to good use?"

"Ha!" Hizuren laughed as he dumped the ashes from his pipe and proceeded to fill it with more tobacco. "And peeping on the women's side of the hot springs qualifies as "good use" how?"

The sound of feet thumping against the floor in front of him caused Hiruzen to glance up at the figure towering above him, who was beaming down on him with the boldest of grins. "Research of course!" He was a tall, well-built, and imposing man. He had a wart on the left side of his nose and waist-length, spiky white hair that was tied back into a pony tail, with two shoulder-length bangs framing his face and red lines under his eyes that extended down his face. His attire consisted of a green short shirt kimono and matching pants, under which he wore mesh armour that is visible at his wrists and ankles. He also wore hand guards, a black belt, wooden geta, and a red haori with two yellow circles on each side. There was a large scroll strapped across his lower back and he wore a horned forehead protector with the kanji for "oil" inscribed across it, which denoted his affiliation with Mount Myōboku, the infamous homeland of the Toads.

"Still that same little pervert that was assigned to my team all those years ago I see," Hiruzen smiled. "It's good to see you Jiraiya!"

"Pervert?! I resent that," Jiraiya recoiled with an aghast expression. "After all, I'm a _Super_ Pervert!" Hiruzen could only chuckle at his student's lively response. Even after growing well into his golden years, the Toad Sage was still as youthful as ever.

"Neh Sensei, is that who I think it is?" Jiraiya queried as he stared at the group of teenagers projected within of the crystal ball.

"Sure is. They've grown considerably since you last saw them," Hiruzen replied.

"I'll say. I almost mistook the boy for his father for a second. And to think that little brat grew up to be such a beauty," Jiraiya whistled. "Do you really think it's true...?"

"I've yet to confirm for myself," Hiruzen sighed out another puff of smoke. "But Kakashi seems pretty certain. I was planning to summon them both here but I don't think now would be he appropriate time. It would seem Naruto's opening up to his teammates about the Nine-Tails."

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Jiraiya's eyebrow rose.

"You've been gone for...quite some time Jiraiya. Naruto hasn't led the easiest life here in the village," Hiruzen sighed. "On the surface he's the same energetic, happy-go-lucky, can't-keep-me-down Naruto we've always known. But deep down, he is very jaded and cautious of others. The fact that he would open up to his teammates about his secret might actually be a good sign, especially if they are understanding."

"I guess that makes sense..." Jiraiya scratched his chin. "And while we're on the subject, care to elaborate on this new power Naruto used with the Nine-Tails chakra?"

"I don't have the specifics, but from Kakashi's report it seems as though Naruto was able to tap into the power of the Nine-Tails while still remaining in control. Naruto himself wasn't even able to explain it. But what concerns me it that he might be in contact with the beast itself," Hiruzen explained.

"That could be very problematic indeed. I take it that's why you recalled me. To examine the seal's integrity?" Jiraiya inquired.

"Yes, that is part of it," Hiruzen nodded. "But I also think it's about time the boy met his godfather. I've decided that if Naruto were to pass the exam and get promoted to chūnin, then I would tell him of his heritage, and naturally you play a part in that. Besides, who else would be able to teach the boy his father's signature jutsu?" he chuckled.

"I see..." Jiraiya replied. Part of him wished he had done more for the boy when he was growing up. After the incident 10 years ago, he had requested to take Naruto with him outside of the village. This way he would be able to look after the boy and also keep an eye on his seal. But the idea was immediately shot down by Danzō and the other village elders. The Nine-Tails had been in the Leaf for nearly three generations now and they only saw it as the village losing a major asset. "I have a feeling there's something else you haven't told me quite yet."

Hiruzen let out a tired sigh as he discarded the ash from his pipe once more. His student was as perceptive as ever. But then again, he was the village's best spy for a reason. "Our scouts have reported that Orochimaru has been operating in Wind Country for some time now, with speculation going as far as to say he might be working with the Hidden Sand."

"Tch...that bastard," Jiraiya growled.

"Even though we are allied with Sand, the relationship between our villages has been strained these last couple of years. If there is any truth to these reports, then I fear a joint attack on the Leaf between the two of them would be inevitable. Of course, I would like to dismiss such rumors, but these claims are too severe to written off so easily. And with the Chūnin Exam a few days away, that would give them the perfect opportunity to execute such an attack. I would feel much more at ease knowing you were around in case such an event did occur," Hiruzen admitted.

"Worry not Sensei, I promise to stick around until the conclusion of the exam," Jiraiya gave his teacher a thumbs up. He had intended to do so all along, but now he had even more of an incentive. If his old teammate was really planning an attack on the village, then it was his responsibility to stop him. He might not have been able to save his old friend, but he would damn sure protect their home.

"Thank you Jiraiya. I pray such a future does not come to pass, but one can never be too careful with a matter such as this," Hiruzen expressed his gratitude before glancing at the clock. "Well then, I guess I should head to council meeting now. I ran a little late last time and Koharu gave me an earful," He chuckled as he slowly rose to his feet. He felt a distinct pop in his spine and a grimace immediately crossed the elderly Kage's features. _'I'm getting too old for this. I need to retire soon. Again...'_

"Leave it to me Sensei! Toad Sage Jiraiya the Gallant is on the case!" The white haired man clicked his heels together and gave a mock salute, earning another chuckle from the Hokage. "But I do have just one req-"

"No Jiraiya, you may _not_ borrow the crystal ball."

"Damn it..."

* * *

"And that about sums it up!"

Naruto clapped his hands together as he finished his tail. His usual obnoxious grin was plastered across his face, but deep down he was sweating kunai. Sakura was staring at him blankly, almost as if she was still processing his words while Sasuke kept a neutral expression. _'Why the hell did I let Zero Two put me into this?! This was such a stupid idea. Now they're going to hate me just like every-'_

"So that how you do it..." Sasuke suddenly spoke up.

"Huh?" The blond's eyebrow rose in confusion. "Do what?"

"Summon so many shadow clones. You have access to the chakra of a Tailed Beast."

"Well, I don't know about that. The fight against that klaxosaur was the only time I've ever used Kurama's chakra around you guys," Naruto scratched his head nervously.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Sakura interjected, waving her hands emphatically. "So you're telling me...the giant demon that almost destroyed the village 15 years ago...is inside your stomach?"

"Behind a seal, yes," Naruto affirmed. "Though Kurama says it wasn't his fault. Apparently, someone instigated the attack on the village and made him go on a rampage."

"And you believed a demon?"

"Of course, Kurama is my friend," Naruto replied with narrowed eyes. He wasn't fond of the pinkette's tone at the moment. Sakura flinched under his gaze and her expression softened.

"I'm sorry Naruto. It's just...a lot to take in right now," she apologized. It wasn't every day you found out one of your friends was the vessel for the most feared Tailed Beast in the world. But after hearing Naruto's story, a lot of things were starting to make sense now. She had noticed the disparaging glares and snide comments thrown at the blond before, but she had always assumed to was because he was annoying and always pulling pranks on people. But this revelation put a lot of things in perspective for her.

"So that power you used at the bridge. That was the Nine-Tails correct?" Sasuke inquired.

"Uh yeah. Except this time is was different. Normally Kurama's chakra makes me lose control of myself. His chakra is highly receptive to emotions, especially negative ones. That's why Zero Two lost it on the bridge." Naruto explained as the aforementioned rosette sheepishly his behind his shoulder. "This time was different though. Even I'm not sure what to make of it."

"I see..." Sasuke nodded. "So Zero Two is able to use the Nine-Tails chakra as well?"

"Yep, thanks to her awesome bloodline," Naruto grinned, causing the rosette's blush to deepen.

"But didn't you say other people have been killed by it?" Sakura asked. She was met by a resentful glare from her fellow pink-haired teammate and immediately recoiled. "I-I-I didn't mean anything by it I swear! It's just that I was curious as to why Naruto isn't being affected like the others."

"My blood," Zero Two answered simply. "Kurama believes that since Naruto ingested some of my blood when he...licked my wound," her blush returned in full force. "And well it reacted to his chakra. It's also why he believes Naruto grew a tail."

"Huh...I guess that sorta kind of makes sense," Sakura mused. It honestly didn't to her at the current moment, but she was hoping to at least relieve some of the tension in the air.

"And just when I thought you two couldn't get any weirder..." Sasuke sneered.

"Oi who you calling weird?!" Naruto snapped.

"You obviously."

"Don't make knock that- wait..." Naruto cut himself off and stared at the Uchiha. "You guys are taking this awfully well. Don't you hate me or something? I'm a monster after all."

"I mean...you're loud, obnoxious, annoying, a pain in the ass-"

"Alright, alright, alright!"

"But no, I don't hate you. I have no reason to. You might have a demon sealed inside of you but you're the farthest thing from evil from what I can tell," Sasuke rationalized.

"Sasuke..."

"I have to agree with Sasuke-kun. You can be a bit much at time Naruto, but I would hardly consider you a monster. Even if you have one stuck inside your stomach." Sakura smiled.

"Sakura...Thanks you guys. That really means a lot y'know," Naruto sniffled as a tear rolled down his cheek.

"Tch...no need to be a crybay about it." Sasuke smirked.

"I am _not_ crying!" Naruto shot back. "Oh, and don't call Kurama a monster please. It annoys him and when he's annoyed he causes me stomach problems." he pleaded.

"Stomach problems...?"

"I don't wanna talk about it..."

"Was that all? Or were you planning to spill more of your life story?" Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"Oi! This isn't an easy thing for me to talk about y'know!" Naruto barked.

"Yeah, yeah, cry me a river. Are we going to just sit here all day or actually train?"

"Why you-" Naruto bounced to his feet and pointed his finger at Sasuke. "Kakashi-sensei is around today. I'll beat your emo ass y'know!"

"Pfft, was that supposed to scare me?" Sasuke snorted out a laugh. His Sharingan spun to life before gradually morphing into the Mangekyō. "Even with the power of a Tailed Beast, you're no match for me."

"Oh yeah?!"

"Yeah."

"We'll see about that!"

Sasuke froze when he heard Naruto's voice behind him. In a disorienting flurry of movement, he was lifted from the ground and sent hurtling towards the opposite side of the training field. A smirk lit up Naruto's features and his eyes bled crimson as he allowed Kurama's chakra to leak into his system. He flashed a toothy grinned in Zero Two's direction, who returned it with equal fervor, before taking off after the recovering Uchiha.

"I guess this means nothing has changed between them," Sakura sighed as he shook her head.

"That's where you're wrong Pinky," Zero Two said as she watched the two boys engage in a spar. "They've both grown considerably stronger. With Darling now learning to harness Kurama's chakra and Sasuke's new Sharingan, it'll only get worse. If you thought their rivalry was intense before, things are only going to heat up from here."

"Is...is that a good thing...?" The pinkette asked hesitantly.

 _ **"Fire Style: Dragon Flame Bullet!"**_

 _ **"Wind Style: Unrelenting Force!"**_

A large explosion rocked the landscape, sending out tremors and debris flying in every direction. Sakura continued to watch the match in horror while a mischievous grin found its way to Zero Two's face. "For our team, most definitely. For anyone that dares make an enemy out of us, not so much!"

* * *

OK I derped you guys. This chapter has been finished for a week now but I was specifically waiting until yesterday to publish because it was the year anniversary for this story. But i was busy running around trying to find a new job and I totally forgot to before I passed out. Regardless, I'm still excited and I can confidently say we're at the halfway point for this story. That's not to say there won't be more. We still have the timeskip after all, but that'll be in the sequel. I pretty know how I want things to go (for the most part) for Part I, but Part II is way trickier since that's when more element's from DitF will start to appear and I wanna make sure I get it right.

Also, I am admittedly a little salty. I am literally the only person still writing in this crossover category yet my story doesn't have the most favorite/follows. Does that make me arrogant? I mean it honestly doesn't bother me all that much but sometimes there's the little Kanye voice in the back of my head yelling "How Sway?!"

Anyway, next chapter is officially the start of the Chunin Exam Arc, which I have been looking forward to the most. As always, R+R & let me know what you guys think!

-Chi

(P.S. to guest reviewers, you're not crazy. The reason yours don't pop up immediately is because I have to approve them first, (which I'm normally quick about) so you don't have to post it again lol.)


	18. 018

**_018_**

* * *

"Just one!"

"No!"

"Pleeeeease~?"

"No, these are mine. Go away!"

"But you gave Sasuke oooone!"

"Just because you ate all your pocky doesn't mean you can come and mooch off of mine!"

"Dahliiiiiing~!"

Sakura let out a tired sigh as Zero Two tried to wrestle away the pack of sweets from the stubborn blond. She honestly could not understand where the two of them got all that energy from. Just being around them made her feel drained. At the current moment, the rookies of Team Seven were making their way through the winding roads of the village towards the academy, which was to be the site for the first test of the Chūnin Exam. They had spent the last five days burning the candle at both ends with their training and the time had finally come to enjoy the fruits of their labor.

The group rounded a corner and the academy building came into view at the end of the road. The was a small crowd gathered out front consisting of older and younger shinobi alike. From the look of things, it appeared that a few squads were having second thoughts. Sakura too was beginning to feel a bit uneasy, but she quickly shook it off. This is what they had spent the last few days preparing for and they were ready.

"Dahliiiiing~!"

Or at least as ready as they were going to be. With a sigh, she turned around an caught sight of Zero Two reaching for Naruto's box of pocky, but the blond held it high above his head and just out of her reach.

"Come on you guys, this is no time to be playing around. We have to get serious here," she admonished.

Naruto gawked and was about to retort but seemed to think better of it while Zero Two frowned in displeasure. She gave up on her trivial struggle, but not before jabbing the blond in his side. "Just when the hell did you get taller than me?" She pouted.

"Oi! That-" Naruto paused briefly to consider her words. And he was surprised to see that she was right. Granted it wasn't by much really. A centimeter, give or take two, but he was definitely taller than the rosette now. "Huh...I guess you're right y'know!" He grinned. This earned him yet another pout from his beloved but she immediately perked up when he offered her a stick of pocky. Naruto shook his head in amusement as Zero Two snatched the small wafer out of his hand before turning his attention towards their destination. "So this is it huh? Guess it's now or never."

"Let's just hurry before we're late," Sasuke continued on as the others fell in step behind him. They managed to squeeze through the crowd blocking the entrance and ascended the stairs towards the upper floors. Naruto let out a low whistle as they walked through the halls, nostalgia beginning to fill his being.

"Man...never thought I'd ever have to come back to this place ever again y'know."

"The Hokage's office is on the top floor Naruto..." Sakura pointed out.

"You know what I meant!" The blond exclaimed, turning away from the pinkette to hide his reddening features. That was in the administrative section of the building whereas they were currently in the actual school house.

"Looks like there's a big commotion over there," Zero Two spoke up as she caught sight of another crowd blocking the hallway.

"Tch...they're in the way," Sasuke sneered before advancing forward.

"Oh boy, I should probably make sure he doesn't cause any trouble y'know!" Naruto took off after the Uchiha.

"This is gonna be a long day...I just know it already," Sakura sighed.

"I think it'll be fun," Zero Two giggled. "Come on. I'm sure we'll have to stop those two from doing something stupid. Again." As the girls moved to catch up, Naruto and Sasuke approached the rear of the crowd where they could hear someone speaking quite loudly.

"A brat such as this becoming a Chūnin? Don't make me laugh!"

The two of them pushed their way to the front, where they finally saw the cause of said commotion. There were two guys around hire age standing in front of a door. One had long, spiky, black hair and dark eyes with a strip of bandage running across the bridge of his nose while the other had brown hair that was combed down over his right eye and a bandanna wrapped around his head.

"All we're doing is weeding out the weaklings who won't pass anyway," the brown-haired boy spoke again.

"I don't really care what you're doing," Sasuke said as he emerged from the crowd. "You and your half-baked ass genjutsu are blocking the hallway and we have business on the 3rd floor."

Both teens silently cursed while Naruto glanced between the sign above the door and his teammate in confusion. "What are you talking about Sasuke? This-" Before he could continue his sentence, the space around the sign began to distort and the number 301 transmuted to 201.

Sasuke turned to the blond with a deadpan expression. "Please tell me you're joking? I didn't even need my Sharingan to see through that lame excuse for a genjutsu."

"O-Of course I saw through it," Naruto huffed. "I was just waiting for you to notice y'know!" He shot back, causing Sasuke's to roll his eyes in response. With the Uchiha's back turned to him, the spiked-hair boy used the opportunity to launch an ambush on the unsuspecting teen.

He threw a high roundhouse at Sasuke's head, but the younger genin was already moving to intercept. But both were surprised when a bandaged hand caught the offending appendage. Sasuke's gaze snapped to the boy that had suddenly appeared at his side with narrowed eyes. _'This guy is fast...just who the hell is he?'_

It was a fairly tall boy around their age with bowl-cut style, shiny black hair, round eyes, and very thick eyebrows. He wore a green jumpsuit, orange leg warmers, and a red headband around his waist as a belt. His hands were wrapped in white bandages that extended up his forearms. "It would be most unyouthful to cause a disturbance in such an esteemed place of learning!" The boy exclaimed.

"Damn it Lee. You broke your own rule," a voiced snorted behind the boy. It was another boy with fair skin, pale lavender eyes, and long brown hair that was tied back in a loose was clad in a thick beige-coloured shirt, dark brown shorts, and blue shinobi sandals. Not unlike his bushy-browed companion, his right arm and leg were wrapped with bandages. He wore a black headband, under which was a smaller one with two straps that framed the sides of his face.

"Ah Neji!" The boy known as Lee flinched. "You are right, but I couldn't just standby and watch such an unyouthful attack be committed."

"Stealth attacks are apart of being a ninja. Not like I needed your help anyway," Sasuke scoffed.

"Ooo...he's a feisty one," a feminine voice reached his ear. A girl popped up beside Lee bearing an amused expression. Her dark brown eyes complimented her brunette hair, which she was done up in two buns on her head with short fringe-bangs framing her face. She was dressed in a pink sleeveless qipao-style blouse with red sleeve trimmings and yellow fastening buttons, dark green pants, blue sandals, and had a large pouch affixed to her hip.

"What are you two doing?"

Zero Two suddenly emerged from the crowd and leveled a stern gaze at the males of their team. Sakura was at her side which a confused expression, no doubt trying to piece together what exactly had transpired. Almost immediately, Lee appeared before both of them with an awestruck expression.

"Such...such beautiful maidens!" He exclaimed. "My name is Rock Lee! Please go out with me! I will protect you until I die!" The green-clad teen offered and overly formal bow and was oblivious to the ominous aura that was now being projected by a certain blond jinchūriki. Zero Two visibly gagged at the sight of Lee's centipede-like eyebrows while all the color seemed to drain from Sakura's face.

"Ew god no. I'm spoken for Bushy-Brows."

"You're...way too intense..."

"Ew...intense..."

The two pink-haired girls swiftly stepped past the now sulking Lee to reunite with their teammates. "Please tell me you guys weren't causing trouble," Sakura all but sighed.

"Nothing really," Naruto shrugged.

"Just some annoying pests. We need to get going," Sasuke said before turning to leave.

"Hold on...just a minute," the pale-eyed boy spoke up. "Identify yourself,"

 _'Wow this guy is giving off more angsty vibes than Sasuke,'_ Zero Two thought to herself. _'And that's really saying something.'_

"One is supposed to give their own name before requesting that of another," Sasuke glared.

"Tch...cheeky brat. This is no place for rookies. Just how old are you anyway?" The boy retorted.

"Get a load of this guy!" Zero Two snorted out a laugh, much to the boy's ire. "He's worse than you Sasuke!"

"Hn!" The Uchiha grunted in annoyance. "We've wasted enough time here as is. The faster we finish this exam, the better. We're not obligated to tell them anything."

"Sasuke's right. We gotta get up to the 3rd floor," Naruto agreed.

"Sure thing Darling~!" Zero Two chirped as she latched onto the blond's arm.

Gathered together once more, Team Seven set off towards the stairs at the end of the hall that would take them up to the next floor. As the boy watched them leave, he caught sight of the red and white fan on the back of Sasuke's shirt. _'An Uchiha...Uchiha Sasuke...'_ he mused. "I see...you're the entitled rookie everyone in the village wouldn't shut up about. Guess whoever took out that contemptible clan of yours really did forget one."

Sasuke suddenly came to a halt and the air in the hallway seemed to drop a few degrees. The rest of his team were left shocked by the older boy's words along with his own teammates. Naruto looked at his friend and he started to feel an overwhelming sense of dread approaching. "What did you say?"

"The Uchiha were an impurity that festered within the Lead. It's a shame that all of them aren't gone," The boy scoffed.

"Neji!" Lee exclaimed. "That is a most unyouthful thing to say!"

"It's the truth," Neji sneered. "The village is better off without them."

A strong pulse of chakra shook the hallway, filling the atmosphere with a vast amount of killing intent. Zero Two caught sight of Sasuke's Sharingan spinning to life and bit back a curse. _'Damn it...this isn't good. He'll burn this whole place to the ground at this rate.'_ As much as the rosette liked to tease and prod at the normally stoic boy, even she knew where to draw the line. And bringing up his family was definitely crossing it.

A shockwave rocked the area and Sasuke suddenly vanished. An even stronger pulse followed up almost immediately, leaving everyone in the hallway stunned. Neji felt his heart skip a beat as he stared at the sword tip that seemed to be frozen in place just in front of his right eye. His gaze travelled the length of the blade where he found the handle trembling in the person's grasp. But what truly unnerved him the most were the pair of glowing red eyes bearing down on him. The red and black six-pointed star pattern of the irises spun slowly around the pupils, almost as if drawing him in closer to his demise. It took his eyes a moment to register the other person standing before him. Naruto's strained grunts echoed of the walls throughout the now silent corridor as he struggled to hold his teammate at bay. Had he reacted even a fraction of a second later then this little dispute would have erupted into a catastrophe of unfathomable proportions. It was bad enough that everyone already thought that he was a monster. The last thing they needed was an excuse to further drag the Uchiha name through the mud. A vast majority of the villagers didn't view Sasuke in the same light as his deceased clansmen and this would only serve to give them a reason to.

"D-Don't listen to him Sasuke," Naruto grunted. "He's just trying to get in your head y'know!"

"Darling's right," Zero Two approached from behind, placing a hand on the Uchiha's shoulder. "This girly bastard isn't even worth the trouble," she spat disdainfully as she glared at the Hyūga. But as she did, her mind was still try to make sense what exactly happened just now. _'When...when the hell did they get so fast?'_ It was well known fact between them that Sasuke was the fastest out of all of them while Naruto had the edge when it came to physical strength. Sakura's chakra control was leagues above all of them while Zero Two herself was a jack of all trades. The the display of speed she's just witnessed between the two boys was unlike anything she'd ever seen before. Sure Naruto's speed while he was in that golden form back in the Wave was off the charts, but he hasn't been able to access it ever since and she hadn't even sensed him channeling Kurama's chakra at all. The seconds seemed to pass like minutes, but eventually Sasuke relented. He slowly retracted his sword and slid it back into its sheathe, all the while keep his eyes trained on the older boy. Naruto let out a sigh of relief as he released his friend. The Chūnin Exam hadn't even started and his blood was already racing.

"Neji...I am very disappointed in you."

The stern voice seemed to snap the rising tension like a twig, drawing all eyes to the imposing figure that now stood behind Neji. He was almost a spitting image of Rock Lee, only the man was much taller with a stronger build and he wore a Leaf flak jacket. "Manipulating an opponent's anger in battle is one thing, but remarks such as those are both tasteless and unyouthful."

"G-Guy-sensei!" Lee exclaimed.

"I see your squad is quite rambunctious as well." The members of Team Seven knew that cool and relaxed all to well and were surprised to see Kakashi standing behind them.

"K-Kakashi-sensei!" Sakura blinked.

"Yo!"

"KAKASHI!" Guy beamed at the silver-haired man. "It is good to see you my Eternal Rival! So this is the team I've heard so much about!"

Kakashi only offered one of his trademark eye smiles as he ruffled Sasuke's hair. The boy was too busy locking eyes with Neji to even react to the gesture. "Yep. These are my cute little underlings."

"Uh...Kakashi-sensei," Naruto spoke up. "Who is this...?"

"This here is Might Guy. He's uh...a friend of mine and the best Taijutsu user in all of the village."

"Woah...this weird dude?!" Naruto stared disbelievingly.

"He's kinda creepy..." Zero Two scrutinized.

"Hey don't be rude you guys," The cyclops-nin admonished.

"Ohoho~! It's quite alright Kakashi! I can tell just by looking at them that these young ones are brimming with the Spirit of Youth and show great promise!" Guy laughed off the callus remarks. "Taking down the legendary Demon of the Hidden Mist is no easy feat after all."

"Demon?" The bun-haired girl interjected. "You mean like a monster or something?"

"Not quite Tenten," Guy held up a finger, his attitude turning serious all of a sudden. "That title belongs to a missing-nin by the name of Zabuza, one of the Seven Swordsman of the Hidden Mist."

"Wait!" Tenten's eyes bulged. "You mean one of _THE_ Swordsman of the Hidden Mist?!"

"Precisely! Kakashi's team defeated him on their first mission outside the village," Guy offered more insight.

"No way!" The brunette stared in awe.

"You must be incredibly strong!" Lee bounced excitedly in front of Naruto, who watched on with a blank expression. "May I ask your name?"

"Uh...Naruto..."

"I see! I hereby from this day forth declare you as my rival then Naruto-kun!"

"What...?"

"If you are the student of my master's Eternal Rival then is only natural for us to follow in their footsteps!"

"O-Okay..."

"Lee!" Guy suddenly yelled. "You too have found yourself worthy rival! From this day forth you two will continue to grow into strong young men and as your sensei it is my job to fan the flames of your ever burning youth!" He cried as a lone tear slid down his cheek. Lee seemed to be moved by his sensei's inspiring words because his gaze was locked on the bowl-headed man and tears were freely falling down his face.

"G-Guy-sensei..."

"Lee..."

"Oh god..." Tenten paled. "Not this again."

Before anyone could react, the two green-clad males suddenly embraced one another, shamelessly crying in one another's arm. Sounds of the ocean could be heard as waves crashed against a beachfront while the sun slowly sank below the horizon in the background.

 _"Guy-sensei!"_

 _"Lee!"_

 _"Guy-sensei!"_

 _"Lee!"_

The innocent bystanders could only stare at the display with varying expressions. Kakashi was completely unfazed by the sight while the rest of his team watched on in horror and confusion. Neji turned his back to his sensei and teammate with an annoyed scoff while Tenten looked like she was about to die of embarrassment.

"Is this a genjutsu...?" Naruto asked aloud to nobody in particular. "Neh...does...does anyone else see it...?"

"I wish I couldn't..." Sasuke shuttered. Even with his Mangekyō, he couldn't dispel the horrifying image and the shock alone caused his Sharingan to deactivate.

"I think I'm gonna hurl..." Zero Two turned a sickly shade of green.

"It...It won't dispel..." Sakura tried repeatedly to dispel whatever genjutsu was currently being burned into her memory but to no avail.

"You get used to it. Eventually " Kakashi replied blankly, his eyebrow twitching ever so slightly. The nightmare fuel of a scene continued on for far longer than anyone wished for, but eventually the two passionate males relinquished one another. Guy turned to Kakashi and offered a slight bow.

"My apologies for any trouble my student may have caused your team Kakashi. Neji here has a gentle soul, though his mind sometimes is clouded by anger. I'm still working on that but I have no doubts he will blossom into a fine young man someday!" He said as he slapped his hand on the young Hyūga's shoulder, causing the boy to stumble.

"Sasuke here doesn't normally play well with others himself so don't worry about it," Kakashi chuckled as he ruffled his student's hair once more. This time Sasuke swatted the offending hand away and glared at his sensei, only to be met with that annoying eye smile he absolutely loathed.

"Hn! Whatever." Sasuke turned to leave but not before leveling one last glare in Neji's direction, which was met with equal intensity. Kakashi kept a scrutinous eye on his student as the boy walked away. _'It seems he's as emotionally volatile as ever...'_ He had been in the waiting room along with the other Jōnin when he sensed the teen's sudden spike of killing intent. Had it not been for Naruto, they would've had a truly grave situation on their hands. _'With his Mangekyō awakening I'll have to keep an even closer eye on Sasuke,'_ Kakashi mused. He'd heard stories of the lengths the Uchiha of old went through to acquire such a power and how they lost their way on a long, winding path of self-destruction. "Well then, we should really be on our way Guy. If we keep our students any longer they'll be late and you know how Ibiki can be,"

"Ah, you are right Kakashi! Alas my students, the time has come. Go forth and show the world just how brightly your Flames of Youth burn!"

"Yes Guy-sensei!" Lee snapped to attention with a salute. Neji only scoffed at his words before departing.

"This is where we part ways my cute little genin," Kakashi smiled at his team. "Remember to look out for one another and play nice with the other children!"

"Thats's the way Kakashi," Guy gave a thumbs up to his rival. "Nothing like a little motivation to inspire the youth!"

"Huh?" Kakashi blinked as he dug a finger into his ear. "You say something Guy?"

"CURSE YOU AND YOUR COOL, HIP ATTITUDE KAKASHI!" Guy's cried as he collapsed in despair.

"There, there," Kakashi patted his friend on the back. "Neh, what do you say we grab a bite to eat? My treat."

"I am quite famished now that you mention it," Guy responded. "Alright Kakashi, Lead the way!"

"Kakashi-sensei...is friends...with him?" Sakura stared disbelievingly at the departing Jōnin. Zero Two appeared to share her sentiment.

"Just when I thought old scarecrow couldn't get any weirder..."

"Oh great...he's brooding again," Naruto sighed as he watched Sasuke's retreating form.

"And to think we were making progress too..." Zero Two shook her head. This whole ordeal was a major setback in their _"Humanizing Sasuke"_ operation.

"Uh...nice to meet you guys...I guess. Good luck on the Exam," Naruto offered a polite wave to the members of Guy's team.

"You as well Naruto-kun! May our paths cross again!" Lee pumped his fist excitedly. After witnessing both Naruto and Sasuke in action, he was feeling even more excited about the Exam. Hopefully there would be a chance to fight with them so that he could test his skills against his own. The thought alone was enough to light a fire in the young taijutsu-user's soul.

"R-Right..." Naruto's eyebrow twitched as he saw the flames burning in his self-proclaimed rival's eyes. "Uh...wait up Sasuke!" He took off after his friend. The Flames of Youth rage on in Lee's eyes until his gaze fell on the two rose-haired girls of Team Seven and entire face immediately flushed.

"I-I-I pray you have a safe journey oh beautiful maidens! I swear that I, Rock Lee, will win over your hea-" The excitable teen abruptly fell silent when a tonfa slammed down on his head, knocking him unconscious.

"I'm sorry, don't pay him any mind," Tenten pleaded as she dragged her teammate away.

"He's all yours Sakura," Zero Two gave the pinkette a light shove on the shoulder before walking away. "Knock yourself out."

"EH?!" Sakura blanched. "T-That's not funny Zero Two!" She whined as she chased after the smirking rosette. "I mean did you see those eyebrows?!"

* * *

Naruto slid open the door to the designated room and was shocked at the sight before him. It was a nothing more than a typical, run of the mill classroom not unlike the one they had grown used to, having spent nearly ten years in one when they still attended the academy. But what they weren't accustomed to was a room that was completely saturated with bloodlust and killing intent. It certainly didn't help that every individual in the room currently had their attention focused on them and boy were there a lot of them

"I think we're in the right place guys..."

"Gee Darling, I wonder makes you say that~!" Zero Two laughed.

"All these guys are applicants?!" Sakura gaped at the size of the crowd. _'They all look incredibly strong too. This definitely won't be easy,'_ she thought. But before the pinkette could sink into the depths of despair she caught a glimpse of Naruto and Zero Two. They weren't fazed at all and we're radiating so much confidence it was almost blinding. Sakura clapped her hands on her cheeks in an effort to strengthen her resolve. 'We'll get through this as a team. No turning back now!'

"Sasuke-kun you're here~!"

Sakura's brow furrowed at the all too familiar voice. She turned just in time to spot Ino latching onto Sasuke's backside. That was at least until the raven-haired teen suddenly burst in a cloud of smoke, leaving the platinum blonde to fall face first to the floor. "Owwie..."

Sasuke reappeared beside Naruto, who was grinning like an idiot even more so than usual. "Told ya! Works every time y'know!" He laughed as he bumped fists with the Uchiha, who returned the gesture with a smirk of his own.

"Oi Naruto! Stop corrupting my Sasuke-kun with your idiotic ways!"

"What?!"

"Ha! _Your_ Sasuke-kun?!" Sakura sneered. "As if he'd ever want to be with a _pig_ like you!"

"Hmph! I see that forehead of yours is as expansive as ever _Billboard Brow_!" Ino shot back.

"Man you guys are here too..." a lazy voice called out. Everyone turned to see a boy with narrow brown eyes and almost permanent expression of boredom etched onto his features. His shoulder length black hair was tied behind his head in a spiky ponytail. He wore a short-sleeved grey jacket with green-edged sleeves that had the rudimentary symbol of the Nara Clan inscribed on the back, under which was green-lined mesh armour T-shirt. He also wore brown pants, a pair of silver hoop earrings that were traditional to his clan, and had his forehead protector tied around his left arm. His name was Nara Shikamaru and he was by far the smartest and laziest person from their classes. There was practically nothing in the world that could motivate him and everything was, as the males of his clan like to put it, troublesome.

Beside him stood a rotund boy who was elbow deep in a bag of potato chips. He had swirl markings on each cheek and spiky brown hair. He donned a green, short-sleeved haori with a long, white scarf over a white shirt with the kanji for "food" printed on it. He also wore black shorts, small hoop earrings, and bandages around his legs and forearms. His blue headband was styled like a bandanna with two holes that allowed tufts of hair to poke out on each side. His name was Akimichi Chōji, Heir to the the Akimichi Clan, a group known for their voracious appetites.

"So you're taking this exam too? How troublesome..." Shikamaru groaned.

"Damn right!" Naruto smirked. "We're gone ace this thing no sweat!"

"Ha! That's a bold claim!"

Naruto's gaze shifted in the direction of the newcomer's voice and smiled. "I thought it smelled like wet dog in here."

"Oi! Don't make me kick your ass before the Exam even starts Naruto!"

"I'd like to see you try Kiba!"

"Girls, girls, you're both pretty," Zero Two interjected before grabbing her beloved by the ear and pulling him away, much to the blond's embarrassment. Kiba burst into laughter at Naruto's predicament until the rosette rounded on him as well. "Quiet Kibble before I put a collar on you."

"O-Oi! I told you already, it's Kiba!" The Inuzuka barked.

"Kiba...you're making a ruckus!" A hand landed on his shoulder. It belonged to a y'all boy with dark, bushy, brown hair. He eyes were covered by a pair of circular black glasses and the bottom half of his face was shrouded by the high, upturned collar of his sea-green jacket. This boy was Shino of the Aburame Clan, who specialized in insect-based techniques.

"H-Hello again everyone..." a meek voice called out behind Shino.

She had dark blue hime-cut hair that extended just past her shoulders with chin-length strands framing her face and pale lavender eyes that lacked pupils, denoting her heritage as a Hyūga. She wore a cream-colored jacket with a fire symbol on the upper sleeves and fur around the cuffs and hem. Along with this she wore navy blue pants and her forehead protector around her neck. She was Hinata, heiress to the prestigious Hyūga Clan. Zero Two instinctively wrapped her arms around Naruto's own as she eyed the pale-eyed girl critically. She trusted Naruto without a shadow of doubt and even if the quiet girl was too flustered around the blond to even speak, love very powerful emotion and she wasn't going to take any chances.

"Wow..." Sakura gasped at the sight of her friends. "I guess all us rookies are taking the Exam."

"I mean we're the best team out of our class so it's only natural," Kiba said, as if it were the most well known fact in the world.

"Hn. Is that so?" Sasuke chuckled. "You always were shooting off at the mouth Kiba."

"What was that pretty boy?! I knock that smirk off your face!" The brown-haired boy challenged.

"You're more than welcome to try."

"Oi you guys. Would you quiet it down?" A man approached the group of rookies. He was a few years older than them from the looks of it. He had ash-grey hair that was pulled back into ponytail, onyx eyes, and a pair of black rimmed circular glasses. He was clad in a high collar dark purple shirt with matching pants, and a white under-shirt and cloth waistband. His hands were covered by purple armor played gloves while a blue Leaf headband covered his forehead. "You guys are the Rookie 10 straight out of the academy right? Look I get it, it's your first exam and all but try to read the atmosphere."

The small band of genin followed his gesture and found the entirety of the room glaring at them. A few of them began to sweat but Naruto couldn't help but smirk. "These guys look strong. But that won't stop me from kicking their asses y'know!" A few growls rose up from within the massive crowd at his declaration and the hardened stares zeroed in on the blond.

"Hn. Leave it to Naruto to piss everyone off from the get go," Sasuke smirked.

"That's Darling for you," Zero Two grinned.

"He's going to get us killed," Sakura paled. Why did he have so draw all of the attention to their team? She had a bad feeling they were going to get hunted down because of it.

"Shut the hell up you degenerates!" A voice boomed on the far side of the room.

Entering through another doorway was a man with a large and imposing figure, which was complemented with a rugged head and face covered with old wounds and scars. He was dressed in an all black variant of the standard Leaf Jōnin attire along with a black trench coat. His forehead protector was stitched onto a black bandanna that covered his entire scalp. "Sorry to keep you waiting. My name is Morino Ibiki and I'll be your proctor for the first test of the Chūnin Exam." Standing behind him was an entourage of Chūnin, each holding a clipboard. "Alright, each of you turn in your applications and draw a number from this box," Ibiki gestured to a small container on the desk at the front of the room. "You will sit at the spot with the corresponding number. Once everyone in place, we will pass out the written test."

"Eh?"

Naruto blinked. He wasn't quite sure he heard the older man correctly. It was then he noticed a man standing next to Ibiki holding a large stack of papers in his hand.

"EEEEEH?!"

* * *

 _'The parabola B in the diagram illustrates the greatest possible distance Enemy Ninja A can throw his shuriken for a tree seven meters high. Predict and answer the Enemy Ninja's character inferred from the eclipse this shuriken forms, and also answer the longest firing range in battle on flat ground and explain your basis.'_

Sakura paused for a moment to consider the question. _'This is an integrated problem based on predictions of unknown conditions and dynamic energy analysis...'_ This definitely wasn't something they were taught in the academy. She was certain that if she put her mind to it she would be able to figure it out, but she wasn't so sure about anyone else. But after glancing over the test questions, she was finally beginning to understand the odd rules the proctor had established before the test. They were basically encouraging them all to cheat, only to do it like a skilled shinobi and not get caught. If she had to guess, there were more than likely a few disguised proctors taking the test as well who knew all the answers. It's like they were evaluating them on their information gathering skills, which is definitely essential to being a ninja.

She glanced around the room and caught sight of her teammates. Sasuke was further down on the same row as her with his Sharingan activated. She wasn't too surprised that he was quick to pick up on the underlying objective. The other two were looking rather...hopeless at the moment. Naruto was two rows behind her and he was just sitting there staring at his paper with a blank expression. Naruto wasn't exactly the sharpest kunai in the drawer when it came to academics and he was incredibly dense. There was no way he would figure out they were supposed to cheat and even if he did, the blond wasn't exactly known for his subtly. But he did have a knack for pulling off the impossible so she wouldn't count him out quite yet.

Then there was Zero Two sitting in the farthest row back. She was radiating a very ominous aura that seemed to make her neighboring participants extremely uncomfortable. That was more than likely due to the fact that Naruto was seated right next to Hinata. The rosette's features were calm and impassive, but her hardened gaze was practically burning a hole into the back of poor Hinata's head. Sakura returned her attention back to her own paper with an amused chuckle. She didn't have time to worry about her teammates. She had to focus on task at hand. _'Ha! Like I even need to cheat!'_ She smirked.

* * *

Sasuke blinked when he saw the person in from of him stop writing, forcing his own hand to halt as well. He'd been using his Sharingan to copy the exact movements of the unsuspecting person's hand and after looking over the answers he was certain he made the write choice. He deactivated his Sharingan as he set his pencil down and let out a small sigh of relief. Who would've thought that the first stage of the exam would be so simple, yet so challenging at the same time.

He cast a sidelong glance in Sakura's direction and saw her methodically scribbling onto her answer sheet. With how smart she was, she was probably capable of answering all the questions herself. It was a hard pill to swallow, but he acknowledged long ago that the pinkette was the smartest out of them all. He peeked over his shoulder and his expression immediately deadpanned. Naruto was just sitting there with a stupid look on his face; well more stupid than usual. Then there was Zero Two who was glaring daggers at the Hyūga girl sitting next to the blond. He was certain that if she had the power to do so, that expression would take on a literal meaning. _'Great...there's isn't a snowball's chance in hell that Naruto will get any of these right, let alone actually manage to copy the right answers from someone. And Zero Two is way too pissed off for any rational thinking. I can feel her bloodlust all the way down here...'_ Sasuke let out another sigh as he pinched the bridge of his nose. They were going to need a miracle to get through this ordeal.

* * *

 _"Naruto~kun...you can copy my answers."_

 _"Aw sweet! You're pretty smart Hinata. I really owe you one y'know!"_

 _"Don't mention it. I would do anything for you Naruto-kun~!"_

 _"Sweet!"_

The sound of a pencil snapping alarmed Temari and she spared a glance at the rosette seated beside her. The faint and eerie vermilion glow of her eyes reminded her of Gaara's own eyes and it was enough to make the blond shudder. Someone had obviously slighted the girl and it was clear no amount of prayer or divine intervention would save them.

 _'I swear to god if she so much as even **breathes** in Darling's direction I'll fucking reduce this entire building to ashes!'_

* * *

 _'What should I do?! What should I do?! What should I do?!'_

Despite Naruto's calm demeanor, he was practically on the verge of having a mental breakdown. When they said it was a test to see who had the capacity to be come a Chūnin, he didn't think there would be an _ACTUAL_ test.

 _'What the hell kind of questions are these?! Who's the sick bastard who wrote this damn test?! I don't understand any of this crap!'_

 **"Would you shut the hell up already!"** Kurama barked. **"I'm trying to sleep here!"**

 _'Kurama!'_ The blond exclaimed. _'You're old, which means you must know a lot of stuff right?!'_

The fox nearly snapped at the teen for the insulting compliment but decided to humor the boy. _"Yes, I happen to know a thing or two."_

 _'Quick I need your help with this question!'_

 **"If I help you, will you shut the hell up so I can finish my nap?"**

 _'Hell I'll sing you a lullaby!'_

 **"Damn monkeys with the your annoying academics."** Kurama grumbled as he tapped into his container's visual senses. **"Alright let's see...The parabola B in the diagram illustrates the greatest possible distance..."** Naruto sat with bated breath, patiently panicking as Kurama read the question. The fox claimed to be "All-Knowing" so surely he'd be able to figure the problem out.

 **"Nope."**

 _'Huh? What do you mean no?'_

 **"Exactly that. This is some new math. You're on your own Kit."**

 _'New math?! How the hell do you change math?!'_

 **"I don't know but you stupid monkeys managed it somehow and that shit ain't right!"**

 _'All-Knowing my ass! You're just a useless, lazy old fox!'_

 **"Oi! Don't make me come out there an fu-"**

"Alright everyone, we have reached the 45 minute mark," Ibiki announced. "It's time for the 10th and final question.

 _'WHAT?!'_

Naruto's eyes locked onto the nearest clock and sure enough, 45 minutes had passed since the test began. He had been too worked about figuring out what to do that he ended up wasting all of his time. He scanned the room and noticed that there were significantly less people than when they had originally started. _'Crap! This is bad!'_

 **"Sounds like you screwed up big time. Again."**

 _'You're not helping Kurama!'_

"Ah, but I'm getting a little ahead of myself. I think I'll add on a few rules for this final question." Ibiki continued on with a smirk, causing a few audible gulps to echo throughout the room. "Let's see...oh I know. How's about this: anyone who answers the question incorrectly, will be banned from taking the Chūnin Exam. Forever."

"What?!"

"You've got to be kidding me!"

"What kind of rule is that?!"

"Oi!" A voice called from the back of the room. Kankūro shot to his feet and leveled a heated stare at the man. "You don't have the authority to make up a rule like that!"

"Yeah that's never happened in any of the previous exams!" Another person co-signed.

"Last I checked I'm the proctor for this exam and what I say goes. So too fucking bad for you brats!" The older man snapped. "If you quit now, you can always try again next year. But know this, if one person drops out, their entire team will. I'll give you a few minutes to think it over."

A deathly silence suddenly befell the room and the tension was so thick that one wouldn't even be able to cut it with a well sharpened katana. An entire minute passed without so much as a single person moving a muscle. Then a single hand slowly rose into the air, followed shortly after by another. Slowly but sure, more and more hands began to rise into the air. The Chūnin examiners began escorting individuals out of the room along with their respective teammates.

 _'That's it?'_ Naruto scoffed. He didn't even care about his rank enough to feel threatened, especially considering that he and Zero Two didn't plan on sticking around. But this must have been a pretty serious question if he was forcing them to all stake the possible future progression of their careers on the line. Sasuke sure as hell wouldn't quit and he didn't think Sakura would either, especially with how much she's been improving over the last couple of weeks with Zero Two's help. He glanced back at the rosette with a smile only to be met with a frosty stare. Naruto immediately turned around, having found a sudden interest in his still blank test paper. He didn't know what he did but he was hoping she would forget about it soon enough. If all else fails, he still had a unopened box of pocky that he kept on his person for emergencies.

After five minutes, Ibiki surveyed the remaining teams left in the room. "I see. So all of you still here are brave enough to take on the final question?" He queried, but received no answer.

"Just get on with it already!" Kiba barked, eliciting a dark chuckle from Ibiki, making the genin even more uncomfortable.

"Well then, here's the tenth and final question. You. All. Pass."

"Wait what?" Naruto stared in confusion.

"What's that supposed to mean?!" Sakura blurted. "Why are you telling us we pass all of a sudden? What happened to the final question?!"

Ibiki only responded with a hearty laugh, much to the pinkette's annoyance. "Well you could think of your choice to answer the tenth question or not as the final question."

"I don't understand," Temari spoke up. "If you were just gonna pass us anyway, what the hell was the point of the other nine questions?"

"To test your individual information gathering skills," Ibiki answer simply.

"Information gathering skills...?"

"Precisely. As you may have noticed, those questions weren't something genin like you would be able to answer. This entire exam was created under the premise that you would all cheat. That's why I planted two Chūnin who knew all the answers to take the test." Two individuals stood up with smirks and gave a nod to their commanding officer. Naruto's eye twitched as he processed the man's words.

 _'Are you fucking kidding me?!'_

 **"Wow...you really are stupid."**

 _'Shut up Kurama!'_

"Firstly, part of the test was to stress the fact that passing or failure would be decide on a group basis. Which in turn add the pressure of dragging down your teammates. Those who acted too foolishly or hastily were easily disqualified," Ibiki explained as he removed his scarf. All of the genin could only stare at the man in horror, with some even recoiling at the sight. His entire scalp was littered with burns, puncture wounds, and long slash marks. "Information, depending on the situation, is more valuable than life itself. One must be willing to stake their life on it!"

 _'All those scars...definitely a sign of physical torture,'_ Sasuke gulped.

Ibiki covered his head back up before continuing on. "When you gather information, and the enemy or an outside party finds out, it can no longer be trusted. So always remember this: incorrect information can bring about catastrophe for your comrades and village. That's why we forced you guys into a situation where you had no other choice than to cheat."

"But, the final question doesn't make any sense now," Temari spoke again, her brow furrowed in confusion.

"The tenth question was actually the main point of this entire exam."

"I'm not following," Sakura said.

"Allow me to explain then. You all had to make the decision on whether or not to answer the final question. If you chose not to, then your whole team would fail on the spot. But if you did, and answered incorrectly, then you would be robbed of your chance to take the exam ever again. It's quite unfair wouldn't you say?" Ibiki asked rhetorically. "Now picture this scenario. You and your team finally make Chūnin are assigned a mission to steal a classified document from an enemy stronghold. You have no idea how many enemy ninja there are, their capabilities, or how heavily armed they are. And to top it all off, there's the possibility of falling into a trap. Will take this mission or not, knowing that you and your comrades will be faced with such danger?" He scanned the room as the gravity of the situation began to sink in. "The only correct answer is yes. You will undoubtedly be assigned risky missions like such and there's no way to avoid them. Having the courage to persevere through adversity and fight your way out of a tight spot is a essential quality to become a Chūnin squad leader. If you lack that kind of determination then you aren't fit to become one!" He smirked. "So let me be the first to congratulate you on passing he first stage of the Chūnin Exam. I wish you all-"

The window was suddenly shattered by a large black ball that came flying into the room. It quickly expanded into a large banner that pinned itself to the wall with a set of Kunai. Standing just in front of it was a fairly tall woman with a slender frame. She had light brown, pupil-less eyes and spiky violet hair that was done up in a fanned-ponytail. She wore a fitted mesh body suit that covered from her neck down to her thighs and a orange mini-skirt strapped around her waist. Her outfit was completed by a tan overcoat, pale grey shin guards, and a blue headband. "Alright you brats, this is no time to be celebrating! I'm the proctor for the second stage, Mitarashi Anko!" She raised her first in excitement.

The woman was met with silence as the collection of genin stared awkwardly at her. Ibiki's head poked out from behind the banner with a deadpan expression. "Read the atmosphere would you..." he said blandly, causing Anko to turn a deep shade of red.

"A solid seven out of ten," Naruto suddenly spoke up, causing everyone to stare at him oddly.

"Oh, If it isn't little Naru-chan! I wasn't expecting to- Oi what the hell do you mean Seven?!" Anko snapped at the blond.

"I loved everything but the entrance. You broke the window and now there's glass everywhere. Plus, it just wasn't flashy enough," Naruto shrugged indifferently.

 _'This woman immediately reminded me of Naruto. Why am I not surprised that they know one another,'_ Sakura sighed into her hand.

Anko let out a low growl before a smirk split her features. "I take the last time you saw me wasn't flashy enough~?" Her sultry tone caught the blond off guard and his face was now glowing bright red.

"Don't make me come down there and break your neck you old hag!"

Anko grinned only widened at the threat. The room was saturated in killing intent, all of which was directed at the purple-haired woman. She licked her lips excitedly as her gaze fell on the source. "Ara, Ara, that's not a very nice thing to say...Two-chan."

"Fuck off!"

Naruto sank down into his seat. He hated how riled up Anko managed get Zero Two. The rosette was a master at pushing people's buttons, but Anko wrote the book. They had first met the older woman a little over a month ago. Naruto didn't even think it was possible or anyone to match Zero Two's appetite when it came to dango, but Anko was just as voracious when it came to the sweetened dumplings and they seemed to bond over their mutual love for them. She also had a small amount of admiration for him for his old prancing feats from when he was younger. It wasn't every day you met someone who could evade the ANBU, let alone a kid at that. But also like his beloved, Anko had a mischievous side and enjoyed teasing people. Unfortunately, she had taken to toying with him, usually with her body and extremely lewd innuendos, which didn't sit well with the rosette. The last time they had seen her was at the hot spring a few days before their mission to Wave Country. It seemed Zero Two was still livid over the prank that Anko had pulled and just thinking about it made him feel like he was going to die of embarrassment.

Anko's attention shifted from the fuming Zero Two to the remaining occupants of the room and her brow furrowed. "79? Oi, you let 26 teams through? You made your test too damn easy."

"What can I say?" The scarred man shrugged. "There seems to be quite a few exceptional applicants this year."

"Tch, whatever. I'll easily cut this number down by more than half," Anko smirked.

"M-More than half?!" Sakura stammered.

"Alright you brats, listen up. We'll be changing locations. Meet up with your Jōnin teachers for the details," Anko addressed all of the genin once more. "Tomorrow, we begin the second stage!"

* * *

Hue that was longer than normal, and by quite a bit I must say.

Ok finally done with the most boring part of this arc (in my eyes at least) but it also served to (formally) introduce the other rookies and Guy's team. Next chapter is the big fight I'm sure everyone has been undoubtedly expecting and a first glimpse at team's training efforts.

Small note (but absolutely relevant): I finally landed a new job and I start on the 13th. It's an overnight position so my time for writing will be limited to the weekends after that. Which is also when I'll have to squeeze in my gaming and anime binges (One Piece is currently on the docket). SO I'll have to find a delicate balance for all three. I mean pretty much wrote the last 5k words of this chapter yesterday, and sometimes it takes me a few weeks to get that much down. It really hit or miss for me and depends on how motivated I am that day. Usually reading reviews or rereading the story itself is enough to get me going. I know I said I write this for myself but you guys pushing me for another chapter gets me just as excited.

But alas, I'm rambling. You guys know what to do! Like, comment, sub- er I mean R+R! ^~^"


	19. 019

_**019**_

* * *

Naruto let out an exasperated sigh. It was late into the morning, the sun finally settling into its perch within the sky. The blond had been awake for a good thirty minutes by now but he couldn't help but feel awkward waking at such a late hour. He was normally up just before sunrise so that he could squeeze in as many hours into training as the day would allow, but today was a special occasion. They were supposed to meet up with the rest of their team in thirty minutes for the second portion of the Chūnin Exam. At least that was the plan.

The blond could only sigh as he stared down at the cape of Sakura petals covering his chest. Each and every attempt he had made to get out of bed had been thwarted by a peacefully slumbering Zero Two. He tried gently shaking her awake, but his effort were only rewarded with an annoyed groan and a slap on the wrist. At this rate, they wouldn't make it in time for the start of the second phase..

"Neh Hime, we're going to be late y'know..." he poked the rosette's horn, eliciting yet another moan.

"Five more minutes Darling..."

"Come on Zero Two. You don't want us to fail do you?"

"There's always next year."

Naruto sighed defeatedly as he stared down at his beloved. Any other day he would be more than willing to oblige her request, but today was just too important. The time had come to play his final trump card. "Y'know, I was thinking if we showered together, we'd probably still make it in time."

Zero Two's eyes immediately snapped open, dispelling all traces of sleep. She sat up, now straddling the blond. Her hair was a mess of knots, there was a faint string of saliva hanging from her bottom lip, and the skinny strap of her nightgown had slid down her shoulder, further adding to her disheveled appearance. "I don't think I heard you right Darling..."

Naruto gulped as he rubbed his head nervously. "I said-"

"This is no time to be lazing about Darling!" Zero Two exclaimed as she leapt out of the bed, pulling the blond with her. Naruto yelled at the sudden movement and found himself at his girlfriend's mercy as she dragged him towards the bathroom.

"Zero Two w-wait!"

"Hurry up Darling we're going to be late!"

"You're going to dislocate my ar-"

"Daaahling~!"

Naruto finally relented and allowed himself to be led away. He'd already opened this can of worms and there was no going back.

"Come on Darling, I'll wash your tail~!"

"Please don't pull it again. You know how sensitive it is..."

The licentious chuckle that escaped the rosette as she kicked open the bathroom door. It made his skin crawl and the hairs on his tail bristle. He was already having second thoughts about this.

* * *

"Geez those two are really cutting it close," Sakura frowned as she glanced down at her watch. They were all supposed to meet up at 10 am sharp and they were already five minutes late.

"Maybe they got lost on the road of life or something," Sasuke smirked, quoting their notoriously dilatory sensei. Sakura stared at the Uchiha as if he'd grown a second head. Never once in the nine years she'd known him had she ever heard him tell a joke before. This had to be Naruto's doing. With all the time the two spent together the blond must've finally been rubbing off on the normally impassive boy.

But before she could voice an opinion, Naruto and Zero Two suddenly appeared before them. The rosette was grinning madly as she held onto the blond's arm while Naruto bore an exasperated expression. Zero Two had this aura about her that was practically blinding and her jubilated smile left her teammates quite unnerved.

"You're late!" Sakura pointed an accusatory finger at the couple.

"Sorry, we had a bit of a late start this morning," Naruto sighed.

"Nothing like a morning shower to get the blood flowing~!" Zero Two beamed.

"R-Right..." Sakura eyed the two blankly. She had a feeling something was up and she definitely wasn't going to ask. "Well lucky for you guys they haven't started. The proctor isn't even here yet."

"Really now?" Naruto's attention piqued at her words. "I mean I guess I'm not really surprised. Anko is kind of a free spirit after all. Not exactly someone I expected to in charge of something this important," he shrugged.

"She's no spring chicken either," Zero Two scoffed. Just the mere mention of the woman's name was enough to grind her gears. She suddenly felt alarms going off in her head as a sense of danger flooded her systems. Naruto yelped as something shot past his head, grazing his cheek and leaving a thin cut that bisected his whiskers.

"Ara, Ara, that's not a very nice thing to say Naru~chan," a voice purred in his ear. He recoiled away from the sound when he felt a wet sensation slither across his cheek and stared in horror at the person that had appeared at his side. Anko's grin only widened at his aghast expression.

"Why you!"

Zero Two's fist nearly knocked the violet-haired woman's head clean off but the Special Jōnin easily avoided the attack and smirked at the younger girl. "Someone's feisty~!"

"Piss off you dusty cougar!"

"I love it when you talk dirty to me~!"

"I'm going to rip out your shriveled old ovaries and strangle you with them!" The rosette snarled, her eyes flashing red. She lunged for the older woman, only to be intercepted by Naruto.

"A-Anko! Could you please not get her so riled up! She was in such a good mood y'know!" Naruto grunted as he struggled to hold his beloved at bay.

"Tch, fiiiine," Anko relented with a sigh as she picked up the kunai she had thrown earlier. "You're no fun Whiskers." She walked away from the group, ignoring the curses being thrown her way by the fuming Zero Two. She made her way to the front of the large crowd of genin that had gathered and cleared her throat. "Alright you maggots, listen up because I don't feel like repeating myself. First, let me congratulate you on making it this far. But there's way too many of your brats so I gotta eliminate a few of you. That's why I've chosen Training Ground 44 as the venue of the second phase. Or as we like to call it, The Forest of Death!" Behind her stood a tall metallic fence that was covered with yellow caution tape and a slew off "keep out" signs. "It's is in here that you guys will be tested on your survival skills."

"Survival?" Shikamaru's eyebrow rose. This already sounded troublesome.

"There are 44 gates around the perimeter of the forest, each exactly ten kilometers from a tower centered deep within." Anko reached into her pouch and withdrew two scrolls, a white one labeled "Heaven" and a blue one labeled "Earth". "Each team will be given one of these scrolls. Your objective is to make it to the tower with both. We don't have time to be waiting on you brats so get it done in 120 hours."

"F-Five days?!" Ino screeched. "You expected us to spend five days in there?!"

"The keyword was "survival" blondie," Anko rolled her eyes.

"What are we supposed to do about food?" Chōji stared in horror.

"There's plenty of wildlife and a river that runs through the whole forest. I'm not your mommy. Figure it out," Anko sneered.

"So that's their ploy..." Sakura whispered allowed.

"What do you mean?" Naruto queried.

"There's 26 teams. Each of us will be given one of those scrolls but you need both to advance to the next phase," Sasuke spoke up. He watched confusion grow on his friend's face as the gears began to slowly turn in the blond's head. His eyes widened suddenly as he came to a realization.

"They're pitting is against one another!"

"Well the hag did say she would be cutting the number of us left by half. She's really keeping to her word," Zero Two commented. It seemed things were about to get very exciting very quickly.

"Before we began, ill need each of you to sign one of these forms," Anko announced. A group of Chūnin began walking around and passing out papers to all of the genin. Naruto accepted the form and stared at it with a raised eyebrow. "A waiver? Oi, what's the meaning of this Anko?"

"I'm glad you asked Naru~chan!" Anko clapped excitedly. "You see, I don't exactly want to be responsible when one of you dies. You signing this form means that I don't have to be!"

"Don't you mean if...?"

"I know what I said~!"

All of the genin collectively shuddered at her words, which served to widen the sadistic woman's smirk. "Alright, enough grab assing! Get a move on it brats! I haven't got all day!"

* * *

Sasuke stared warily at the makeshift tent that had been set up just outside of the perimeter fence. They had been directed to report there after each member of their squad had signed the waiver and exchange them for their scroll. "Looks like they don't want us to know who has what scroll."

"Tch, as if this test couldn't get any more annoying," Naruto griped. "Can't believe I have to go a _full five days_ without any ramen!" Unfortunately he hadn't packed for such a long-term assignment and leaving the training ground now would result in an automatic disqualification.

"This isn't good. We won't know who to go after," Sakura said nervously. "We're going in completely blind."

"Not to mention the dangerous wildlife," Sasuke commented.

"And the poisonous plants," Naruto added.

"And the imminent battle royale about to take place," Zero Two grinned.

"You guys aren't helping..." Sakura paled.

"Ease up Sakura," Naruto patted the pinkette's back with a hearty chuckle. "There no use getting all worked up before hand. It's just as Kakashi-sensei is always telling us," the blond pulled his headband down over his left eye and used the sleeve of his jacket to cover the lower half of his face. "It is impossible to win the race unless you venture to run, impossible to win the victory unless you dare to battle." Naruto said, his voice very reminiscent of the ashen-haired Jōnin.

"I'll say," Zero Two giggled. "But he's right Pinky. Some of these guys look strong, but I doubt they can put up as big of a fight as No Brows. We'll just swipe some poor team's scroll and get to the tower before the sun even goes down.

"Even still, it's best to take caution," Sasuke interjected. He was definitely confident in each of their individual abilities. With his newly acquired Mangekyo Sharingan and Naruto and Zero Two being able to tap into the power of the Nine-Tails itself, they were already leagues above their old classmates. But they weren't without their drawbacks. Kakashi had warned him that over usage of his new Sharingan could lead to him going blind while Naruto and Zero Two we're susceptible to go on a rampage if they lost control of their emotions.

"Come on Sasuke, I'm always caref-" A blank stare from the Uchiha was enough to shut Naruto up, who turned away with a huff. "W-Whatever! Let's just go turn these forms in so we can get our scroll already. I'm getting more fired up by the second!"

* * *

Sakura stared at the sign that hung just above the locked gate with uncertainty. It had the number 27 printed across the front, though one could just barely make the digits out given the amount of rust that had built up over countless years of baring the elements. Just behind the gate a few meters from the fence lay the entrance to the forest. The scent of blood was heavy in the air and she felt this overwhelming sense of dread from just looking at the trees. _'Can't believe they expect us to spend five days in there...'_

"Man how much longer!" Naruto groaned. The blond was bouncing back and forth on his heels, unable to stand still.

"No use rushing Darling," Zero Two giggled. "Best so save as much energy as possible. We don't know what to expect."

"Zero Two is right. This is uncharted territory for us so we have to remain vigilant. I doubt they named this place the Forest of Death just for kicks." Sasuke said as he finished sharpening his sword.

"No worries Sasuke! Long as we all stick together, we'll be at the tower in no time!" Naruto exclaimed with a pump of his fist.

"You just make sure you don't lose the scroll," Sasuke leveled a hard stare at his teammate.

"Yeah, yeah," Naruto waved him off as he gently patted his pouch.

Naruto had already made quite an impression for himself yesterday as an obnoxious, loud-mouth, cocksure idiot that was beaming with confidence. The same kind of person you wouldn't expect to be the first to perish when things got dire. Someone like that couldn't possibly be responsible enough to carry such important cargo. Which is exactly why they had agreed on Naruto being the one to carry their Heaven Scroll. He was the last person the enemy would expect to have it. Naruto was also by far the craftiest person in the squad and undoubtedly already had a few planned tricks up his sleeve for keeping the scroll safe.

The Chūnin standing guard received a brief transmission through the radio piece in his ear and suddenly produced a pair for bolt cutters. He easily snapped the chain that held the gate closed and cast it aside before offering a formal nod to the group of genin.

"Alright brats, it's time!" Anko's voice echoed through the speaker that sat at the top of the gate. "Don't forget, 120 hours and not a second later!" Team Seven took once last moment to double check their gear before taking up formation in front of the gate. "Now! Let the second stage of the Chūnin Exam begin!"

The gate slammed open and the four genin shot into the underbrush. They immediately elevated themselves to the upper branches of the trees, careful to maintain their formation as they advanced deeper into the forest. Zero Two was on point, her acute sense of smell and ability to sense fluctuations in chakra serving as their first line of defense. Naruto and Sakura were just behind her watching their flanks while Sasuke held up the rear.

"We should keep a low profile for now. Best to keep the element of surprise for as long as possible while scouting for other teams," Sasuke announced. "Zero Two, try to locate a source of water. That'll be our first priority."

"Already on it," the rosette called out.

"Wait, I'm not so sure that's a good idea," Naruto interjected. "Won't other teams be thinking along the same line?"

"That's the point. Fresh water is the highest priority, even more so than food. It'll be the perfect spot to stage an ambush. If we get there first, we'll have the advantage," Sasuke explained.

"Huh...works for me," Naruto shrugged. Team Seven continued on in silence, keeping their heads on a swivel as they traveled deeper into the forest.

* * *

"Eyes up. We've got company," Zero Two silently called out.

An hour after entering the forest, they had stumbled across a small river. After filling up their canteens, the members of Team Seven retreated back to the treetops and lied in wait for an unsuspecting team to come by. Moments passed and a trio of figures landed at the edge of the river. Each of them wore a pale yellow jumpsuit, rebreathers that covered the lower half of their faces and headbands bearing the symbol of the Hidden Rain Village.

"Tch...talk about tacky," Naruto commented distastefully, referring to their attire. "Alright so how are we gonna go this?"

Sasuke brought a hand to his chin as he analyzed the group below. "We have to approach this carefully. We don't know their capabilities." The last thing they needed was for the ambush to backfire. Their attack had to be calculated and precise, with no room for error.

"Oh I got it!" Naruto snapped. Sasuke immediately noticed the mischievous glint that flashed through the blond's eye and felt his stomach turn. "Leave this to me you guys."

"No!" Sasuke shot him down immediately. " _Hell_ no!"

"Oh come on Sasuke! I totally got this one. Teammates are supposed to trust each other right?" Naruto whined. Sasuke stares warily at the blond, who was now pouting like a child who's toys had been taken away.

"I swear to god if this is another one of your stupid, half-baked plans..."

"Trust me, this plan is fool proof!" Naruto grinned. "Just be ready to restrain them when the time comes." Without even waiting for a response, the blond leapt from the branch he was crouching on and fell to the ground below.

"There he goes again. This outta be good," Zero Two smirked.

"I already have a bad feeling about this," Sasuke pinched the bridge of his nose in annoyance.

"Come on you guys, let's have faith in Naruto," Sakura spoke up. "I'm sure even he recognizes the importance of this exam. He wouldn't possibly pull a crazy stunt at a time like this. R-Right...?"

* * *

"I think I'm gonna be sick," Sakura gagged.

"I just knew it was going to be something stupid," Sasuke growled as he rubbed his temples. "And it actually worked!"

"Hey, we got the scroll didn't we?" Zero Two laughed.

"Exactly! The Sexy Jutsu never fails!" Naruto beamed proudly.

" _Tentacles_ though? Was that really necessary Naruto?!" Sakura shuddered as she tried to erase the memories of the last 5 minutes from her mind.

"I was going for an extra wow factor."

"How the hell did you even come up with an idea like that?!"

"I-I would rather now say..." Naruto rubbed his head sheepishly as a blush crept onto his features.

"Ohoho~" Zero Two chortled as she latched onto the blond's back. "Looks like you've been holding out on me Darling. What other secrets are keeping from me in that pretty little head of yours?"

"I-It's not like that Zero Two, I swear!"

 **"You have no idea..."**

"Shut the hell up Kurama!"

"Alright that's enough," Sasuke cut in, growing annoyed with their antics. "You two can molest one another til your heart's content once we make it to the tower." They caught a lucky break by obtaining the Earth scroll they needed from the Rain squad and all that was left to do now was safely make it to the finish line.

"Alright, just let me go take a leak first," Naruto said before walking away.

"Make it quick. There could be enemies out there and we've stuck around here for long enough," Sasuke warned.

"Yeah, yeah," Naruto waved him off as he disappeared into the bushes. Five minutes went by before the blond emerged from the underbrush, stretching his arms above his head with a relieved sigh. "Man I feel refreshed! Alright you guys let's-"

"Just a minute," Sasuke stared critically at the blond. "What's the password?"

"Oh right. The chance to sneak up where a large number of enemies are making a scene. The quiet place-"

Naruto was interrupted when Zero Two suddenly shot forward and slammed him into a tree. "Who the fuck are you? And where is Darling?" She hadn't quite noticed it at first, but something was off. Whoever this person was certainly smelled like her beloved, but they couldn't erase the faint scent of snakes that lied underneath.

"Z-Zero Two!" Sakura exclaimed. "What are you doing?! He hadn't even finished the password yet."

"That's the problem," Sasuke stepped forward. "Do you really think Naruto would remember a password that long?"

Sakura blinked in surprise as his words set in. "No...he would've said _"Sorry guys, I forgot y'know."_ "

"Exactly. And if it were Zero Two, she'd just tell us to piss off and stop being so uptight." Sasuke's Sharingan activated as he glared at the fake. "Who are you and what have you done with Naruto?"

"Naruto" let out a sinister chuckle. "So you figured me out huh?" His body was suddenly enveloped in smoke, revealing the impersonator. It's was a boy around their age, with soft feminine features and long, smooth black hair that matched his eyes. He black pants and a long sleeve shirt, which was overlapped by a pale yellow tunic and a large purple rope belt that was tied around his waist. The insignia etched onto his forehead protector was that of the Hidden Grass Village. "Why use such an elaborate password if you knew your teammate wouldn't remember it?" He questioned.

"Exactly for situations like this. I had a feeling there was a chance we were being followed or someone could be listening in. And even without one, Zero Two is capable of sniffing out a impostor." Sasuke explained. "Now I'm not going to repeat myself again. Where's Naruto?"

"How should I know-"

The boy was overcome by an intense sense of vertigo after being slammed against the tree once more. He found himself staring into a pair of glowing, vermilion eyes that were vibrant with bloodlust. **"Don't fuck with me!"** Zero Two snarled.

"Ohoho~! It would seem someone is a lit-"

A small fist slammed into the boy's face, silencing him. Taking hold of his shirt collar, Zero Two sent him rocketing head first into another tree. Sasuke sighed as the rosette let out a displeased growl.

"We can't get any info out of him if you kill him first Zero Two."

"Don't let your guard down around that bastard," Zero Two snarled as she glared at the tree she had sent the boy crashing into. He had this apathetic air about him, almost as if he were toying with them. Yet she could clearly sense there was something off with his chakra. It felt vile and sinister, even more so that Kurama's own. Sasuke's gaze followed her own, keeping his Sharingan trained on their assailant.

The boy peeled himself out of the bark with another saccharine chuckle, licking his lips as he eyed the group of teens. "You actually tried to kill me just then. How cute."

Sasuke clicked his teeth in annoyance. They weren't going to get anything out of this guy. Their only choice to to eliminate him and find Naruto so that they could set off for the tower. He reached for his sword, only for his eyes to widen. The Uchiha's entire body seized up, as if the cold grip of death itself had taken ahold of his spine. In his head, he had the most distinct visage of himself being decapitated the moment his fingers touched the hilt of his sword. It was as if someone had cast a genjutsu on him, but that was impossible because he would've seen it activate with his Sharingan. _'No...that was pure killing intent, just like with Zabuza. But this time it's much more potent.'_ So much so in fact that it felt as if the air itself had turn solid, making it heard to breathe. _'This guy is too dangerous! We have to escape and find Naruto on our own!'_ Sasuke thought frantically. He turned to Zero Two and was surprised to see that the horned girl was relatively unaffected by the mental attack. In fact, she seemed more fired up than ever. He could see the chakra building up within her body as her horns began to glow. "Zero Two we have to-"

 **"You finish that sentence Uchiha and so help me god, I will rip out your fucking eyes!"** The rosette barked, baring down on the raven-haired boy with a spiteful glare. **"You can run off and be a slimy piece of trash if you want, but I am not leaving here without Darling!"**

Sasuke flinched at the demonic inflection in her voice and he could hear his sensei's words echoing inside his head. _'Damnit!'_ He mentally cursed. This was the absolute worst case scenario. Not only did they get separated from a teammate, but it was Naruto of all people. Zero Two was fiercely protective over the blond, even more so than a mama bear to her cub, and there wasn't a snowball's chance in hell she would leave him behind.

"This one's got spunk." The boy grinned, crossing an arm over his chest as he brought his opposite hand up to stroke his chin. His tongue slid out of his mouth and slithered about provocatively. "I guess I'll play with you all for a bit." Strelitzia appeared in a flash of brilliance. Zero Two immediately seized the glaive and sprang towards the smirking Grass-nin. He easily sidestepped the thrust aimed at his heart and ducked under the follow up swing. This only served to further annoy the rosette and she pressed on harder with her assault.

"Damnit!" Sasuke cursed. Zero Two was too pissed off for rational thinking and rushed off on her own. There was something different about this guy. He had a haunting suspicion that if they weren't careful they could very well end up losing their lives, and he sure as hell wasn't going to go out in some backwoods of a training ground. A small thud reached his ears and he turned around to see Sakura collapse to her knees, staring ahead in horror. The pinkette was starting to sweat and her entire body vibrated with fear.

"I-I...I thought I was going to die...just now..." she whimpered.

"Come on Sakura, we have to move!" Sasuke urged her.

"But-"

"We don't have time for this!" The Uchiha snapped. While he understood just how shaken she was, they had to locate their missing teammate and make it to the tower as soon as possible. Only then would they be able to relax. "You go find Naruto and we'll try to keep that guy occupied in the mean time."

"R-Right," Sakura stammered as she shakily rose to her feet. She looked to the raven-haired boy once more, who gave her a reassuring nod, before activating her Chameleon Jutsu. After he could no longer feel her presence, Sasuke drew his sword with a scowl.

"This day couldn't get any worse."

* * *

"My, my, you almost had me there," the grass-nin said mockingly as he leapt away from Zero Two's roundabout slash. Without a delay, she locked into the boy and hurled Strelitzia in his direction. With a smirk, he spun around the glaive and snatched it out of the air. "Gotta be quicker than th- ARGH!"

He felt a searing pain in his hand and was surprised to see the spear glowing orange as it continued to heat up. Zero Two suddenly appeared before him and seized her weapon before delivering a bone-shattering punch to the boy's face that sent him crashing to the forest floor below. She spun the flaming Strelitzia in her palm before falling to the ground. The burning blade tore into the boy's chest and his face contorted in pain.

Sasuke landed behind her and glared at the corpse. "Is is finished?"

"If only," the rosette spat. The body pinned beneath her turned to mud and began to crumbled, revealing it to be a clone.

"Impressive," They heard a voice in front of them followed by the sound of clapping. "Seems I'll have to take you more seriously from now on." The grass-nin smiled. He gagged slightly and a lump began to crawl up his throat. A snake slithered out of his mouth, causing the two teens to bristle at the sight. The serpent opened its maw and a regurgitated at a hilt. The boy grasped it and slowly withdrew a blade before swallowing the snake once more. It was a double-edge jian of medium length that glistened in the pale light of the shadowy forest. "Now then, come at me."

An annoyed growl escaped Zero Two and she charged directly at the boy. "Oi! Zero Two wait!" Sasuke words fell on deaf ears and the rosette lashed out with her glaive. The attack was deflected away effortlessly, but with a flourish of her long weapon, Zero Two pressed on. The grass-nin backpedalled to create some distance, giggling mirthfully as the girl chased after him.

The two began a deadly dance across the first floor, with Zero Two relentlessly striking away at her prey, only for him to dodge and deflect the blows effortlessly. She threw a low sweep with her legs, forcing him to jump away. The boy let out another chuckle and was about to taunt her once more when he sensed a presence rapidly approaching from behind. With the grace of a dancer, he spun around the blade that was aimed at his heart. His eyes locked onto the blazing Sharingan that stared back at him in surprise. "So you've decided to join the fray as well Sasuke~kun."

Grabbing the Uchiha by his overextended arm, he flung the off balance teen towards his teammate. Sasuke was quick to right himself mid flight and his hands flashed through a short series of hand signs. **_"Fire-Style: Fireball Jutsu!"_ **The Burning mass of chakra was sent barreling towards the grass-non, who only licked his lips in anticipation.

 _'So he's already matured this much? You'll make a splendid host Sasuke-kun,'_ he purred at the thought as he prepared his counterattack. What he didn't expect was for Strelitzia to pierce through the ball of fire and absorb it in its entirety. He quickly made the mental adjustment to account for the sudden change. Bringing up his sword to deflect the flying spear, the grass-nin was caught by surprise when Zero Two materialized before him and took hold of Strelitzia. Her vermilion eyes burned with rage and her horns were lit aflame with crimson chakra.

 ** _"Dragon Strike!"_**

Zero Two performed a rapid spin, generating a considerable amount of momentum before slamming the glaive into the boy's side and completely bisecting him. Shock just barely registered on his face before he was sent crashing into a tree by the flat of Strelitzia's blade. His torso bounced off the sturdy bark from the force of the blow, only to be ran through the sternum by the flaming spear. Zero Two leveled a glare at her prey. Unsurprisingly, the body that was pinned to the tree began to melt into a muddy mess that sloshed down the tree's trunk. The boy appeared on a branch with an annoyed glare. The entire left half of his face had been melted, revealing alabaster skin beneath.

 _'That ominous crimson chakra...'_ He thought to himself. He might not have been in the village when it was attacked, but he was familiar with the chakra of a Tailed Beast and this girl was clearly channeling the energy of one. _'That can't be possible. According to my source, the Nine-Tails should be sealed away within-'_

 _ **"Wind-Style: Unrelenting Force!"**_

Sensing the incoming, the boy was quick to jump away as his foothold was shattered by a hurricane force wind. Zero Two's eyes snapped to the treetops and a sigh of relief escaped the rosette as her face lit up with glee. "Darling~!" A scowling Naruto dropped to ground with a skittish Sakura landing at his side.

He was just peacefully minding his own business answering nature's call when all of a sudden he found himself swallowed whole by a gigantic snake. He tried cutting his way out before he ended up being digested but his kunai only slipped against the serpent's slimy intestinal lining and it was too cramped to even draw his sword. Finally getting fed up, he summoned as many shadow clones as he could muster, causing the beast to explode from within. Sakura had shown up just as he'd finished his grand escape and informed him that were under attack by an unknown enemy.

The crimson chakra flooding Zero Two's system dissipated and she immediately rushed over to the blond, teal orbs filled with concern as they scanned every inch of his person for any sign of injuries. "You're not hurt are your Darling?"

"Nothing to worry about Hime," Naruto offered a reassuring smile as he patted her on the head between her horns. His mirthful expression shifted to one of discontent as his eyes fell on the grass-nin. "This is the one I take it?"

"Yeah," Zero Two expression matched that of her beloved. "He's a slippery bastard."

"Looks like we'll just have to beat some sense into him," Naruto smirked as he cracked his knuckles.

"No," Sasuke interjected. "We need to get to the tower. We already have both scrolls so there's no point in fighting a senseless battle."

"Sasuke-kun is right. Plus this guy gives me the creeps," Sakura shuddered.

"I'm afraid I can't allow that," the grass-nin spoke up, drawing the Genin's attention. His voice was husky and far more deeper than before. He reached up to his face and peeled away the rest of the mollified skin, revealing his true appearance. He had very pale skin with pronounced cheekbones, golden eyes with slitted pupils, and purple markings around his eyes. His sultry grin was accentuated by fang-like teeth. "I'm finally starting to have fun."

"Who the hell are you?" Naruto barked.

"I suppose you have earned a proper introduction. I am known as Orochimaru," the man answered with a formal bow of his head.

"O-Orochimaru?!" Sakura stammered with wide eyes. "That means he's one of the legendary Sannin!"

Naruto didn't recognize the name, but he was definitely familiar with the title. It was given to the Old Man's three students, which meant this man was one of Tsunade's old teammates. "What the hell does one of the Sannin want with us?"

"To answer your question Naruto-kun, you lot have drawn my interest. I merely wish to test your abilities," Orochimaru grinned.

"And if we refuse?" Sasuke queried.

"I'm afraid it wasn't a request Sasuke-kun," the snake man purred, putting Team Seven on edge.

"So basically we have to go through you if we want to make it to the tower?" Naruto spoke rhetorically. "Ha! Bring it on you wrinkly bastard. I'll knock you into next week!"

"You're insane Naruto! He's a Sannin! There's no way we stand a chance!" Sakura berated.

"It's not like we have much choice!" The blond shot back. Even he realized that they were severely outclassed by the opponent before them. "Obviously the best course of action is to retreat, but he's already made it clear he won't allow that to happen. With no chance of flight, the only option left was to fight."

"Wise words Naruto-kun," Orochimaru smirked before flickering out of sight. "I hope you all can keep me entertained. And please try not to die too quickly." Afterimages of the Sannin began to flash around them, shocking the genin with his speed. They all stood back to back, taking up defensive stances while watching out for surprise attacks. Naruto drew his sword with a flourish while Sasuke's Sharingan spun back to life.

"Tch, this guys even faster than before," Sasuke growled. The trouble wasn't keeping track of the man. With his dojutsu now fully matured, his perceptional prowess had greatly improved, enough to the point that he had no trouble at all keeping track of their sensei and the Mangekyō enhanced it even further. The real trouble was keeping up. Orochimaru was leagues faster than anyone he had ever faced and it wouldn't matter if he saw an incoming attack if he couldn't move fast enough to block it.

"On the contrary Sasuke-kun," a voice whispered in his ear, causing the Uchiha's body to lock up. He hesitantly peered over his shoulder and spotted a long tongue dangerously flickering about. That was the last thing he saw before being sent hurtling by a devastating blow to the chest. "You've all gotten slower to me."

Zero Two was the first to react and rounded on the snake man, lunging at him with Strelitzia in hand. Orochimaru spun around her advance, deflecting the blow with his sword and knocking the rosette off balance. Her delivered a forceful chop to the back of her head and sent her crashing into her fellow pink-haired teammate.

"Tch you bastard!" Naruto lashed out with his blade, to which Orochimaru knocked it was with his own. Naruto threw a punch with his free hand, but it was intercepted as well. Locked in a stalemate, the Sannin grinned at the boy.

"Looks like we're at an impasse Naruto-kun."

"You sure about that?"

Two more Naruto popped into existence above them, blades poised to strike. Orochimaru smirked as he pushed away from Naruto and sidestepped the first clone's attack before elbowing it in the face, dispelling it. He jabbed the second one in the throat, causing it to gasp. He grabbed the clone by the arm and used it as a club to swat the original Naruto away before he could follow up with an attack of his own. He was taken by surprise when they both burst into a cloud of smoke. The real Naruto flashed into existence, driving his knee toward's Orochimaru's face. The Sannin brought up an arm just in time to block and avoid having his face smashed in. He quickly took notice of the blond's feral appearance and glowing vermilion eyes. "You're a crafty little fox."

"You ain't seen nothing yet!"

Naruto suddenly grabbed the older man by his shoulders, much to his confusion. That was until he felt a surge of chakra behind him.

 _ **"Ruinous Impact!"**_

Zero Two's fist vibrated dangerously as she poured more and more chakra into it. Her speed alone would add a considerable amount of force to the blow, but she really wanted the snake bastard to feel this one. Drawing back her fist, she mustered every ounce of her strength and slammed her fist into Orochimaru's back. She felt his spine shatter against her knuckle before the pale man was sent rocketing into the underbrush.

"Take that you bastard!"

"Nicely done Hime!" Naruto exclaimed, to which the rosette beamed at the praise.

"My, my, such a brutish young lady."

Shock didn't even have time to register on the teen's faces when Orochimaru reappeared between them. He paralyzed Zero Two with an open palm strike to the stomach that lifted her off her feet. Spinning on a heel, he dismissed the rosette with a spinning roundhouse.

"Zero Two!"

The momentary lapse in focus allowed Orochimaru to step inside the blond's guard, alarming the boy. "You shouldn't play with sharp objects Naruto-kun." He jabbed a pressure point in Naruto's shoulder, causing him to drop his sword as his arm went slack. The Sannin struck the blond with a heavy frontal kick that sent him sailing into a nearby tree.

 ** _"Fire-Style: Phoenix Flower Jutsu!"_**

Orochimaru peaked over his shoulder and noticed a collection of small fireballs converging on his position. He also spotted Zero Two in his peripherals closing in on him. She certainly was a tenacious one. "Hn. Mere child's play." He leapt back to avoid the flaming projectiles but his eyebrow rose with piqued interest as he watched the rosette move to intercept them.

 _ **"Dragon Dance!"**_

Zero Two flourished Strelitzia in her hands, slashing through each of the fireball and absorbing them into the glaive. With a hard step, she propelled herself towards the snake man. Strelitzia spun gracefully between its master's fingers, gyrating around the Zero Two's body as she began her carcinogenic waltz. Orochimaru soon found himself backpedaling away from the girl that was trying to cleave him in half. _'She's faster than before,'_ he mentally noted, finding himself pressed to defend against the rosette's assault. The Sannin's eyes suddenly went wide when he felt a crushing force on his chest. He was surprised to see a large, skeletal hand constructed of purple chakra constricting around his torso. He was overwhelmed with nausea as he was lifted off of his feet and repeatedly slammed into the ground. Just as suddenly as the ethereal limb had grabbed him, it sent him flying back towards Zero Two.

"You're mine!" She roared as her hand ignited with a blue flame. She drew back before slamming her claws into the Sannin's sternum.

"GYAH!" Orochimaru drew in a sharp breath as he felt a large portion of his chakra be torn away.

 **"Up top Hime!"**

The rosette glanced up and saw Naruto cloaked in the Nine-Tails chakra as he fell from from the treetops. She locked eyes with Sasuke and the two exchanged smirks. She flung the disoriented Orochimaru towards the Uchiha and skeletal arm appear at his side once more. It slammed down on the Sannin's chest with enough force to cause bounce off the compacted dirt of the forest floor. The arm immediately followed up with an uppercut that sent the pale man's battered form skyward. Naruto let out a bestial growl as he concentrated chakra into his fist. **"This is gonna hurt!"** He threw a haymaker, intent on shattering the Sannin's skull, but he was halted by a searing pain in his abdomen. He glanced down to see Orochimaru's fingers embedded in his stomach, each lit with an amethyst flame.

 _ **"Five Elements Seal!"**_ The serpent rasped out. It seemed he had underestimated the genin of Team Seven. _'To think he's able to tap into this much of the Nine-Tails power already. I can't have him ruining my plans.'_ The cloak of chakra enveloping Naruto's body instantly evaporated and his eyes rolled to the back of his head as he faded out of consciousness. With the blond now incapacitated, he discarded the boy's limp body before focusing his attention on the two genin below.

"Darling!" Zero Two stared into horror as her beloved began a fatal freefall until he disappeared in a flash of pink. Tracking the sudden movement, she breathed a sigh of relief when she saw Sakura carrying the blond on her back. Her eyes darted back to Orochimaru, who had dropped back down in from of them. "You bastard...I'll fucking kill you!"

The Sannin only chuckled as he felt the rosette's chakra spike. Her hair bled crimson and flames burst to life around her horns are her features took on a more animalistic appearance. _'She drained a third of my chakra in an instant. And this primal nature. There's no doubt about it...she has the blood of a klaxosaur.'_ Years before he abandoned the Leaf, he had been studying the mythical beasts as part of his quest for immortality. He had been playing around with the idea of intergrating their DNA with that of a human in an effort to create the perfect host. But he was never able to get his hands on a sample for experimenting and he regrettably left behind all of his research when he fled the village. _'Such a magnificent creature. She's even able to channel the chakra of a Tailed Beast with no adverse effects, despite not being a host. No doubt Danzō had a hand in your conception. That's old War Hawk is still up to his tricks I see.'_ It was the only person in the entire village he could think of that would be ambitious enough to not only go after his research, but to actually pursue it as well.

Orochimaru sensed a presence behind him and a glance over his shoulder was enough to confirm his suspicions. _'As I thought...you've gone an awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan Sasuke-kun.'_ He didn't know much about the evolved eye, only what was written in the Uchiha Clan records he had...borrowed. It was an even stronger version of the Sharingan that granted the user even more power and clarity than that of the original. The biggest drawback apparently was that over usage could cause blindness. These new developments brought about a much welcome change to his plans. _'Using a transplanted Sharingan would be a substantial drain on chakra. But if I had the girl's body, that would be the least of my worries. Oh I can see it now...'_ This unfortunately meant he had to cut his fun time short today. These kids were surprisingly skilled, even more so than he gave them credit for. He would be in serious trouble if Zero Two managed to siphon more of his chakra and he couldn't have the Sharingan that was soon to be his being rendered blind before he even got the chance to use it.

Sasuke stood behind the snake nin panting heavily. Summoning the Susano, even if only partially, was extremely taxing on his chakra reserves. _'This is getting out of hand. He's just toying with with us,'_ he glared at the giggling man. The young Uchiha blinked in disbelief when the pale man blurred out of sight. He scanned his surroundings for any signs of an ambush. If he managed to at least catch the man with Amaterasu's flames then that just might give them enough time to escape. But that was easier said than done. Conjuring Susano again would deplete what little chakra he had left, which was just enough to cast Amaterasu once without completely exhausting himself. But with nothing holding the serpent in place, he had to find the opportune moment to strike.

A fist exploded out of the ground beneath his feet, catching the teen by surprise. Sasuke reeled back to avoid the strike and retaliated with a slash of his own. The arm contorted in a unnatural manner, snaking about as if the bones within had been removed. It ducked under Sasuke's blade before shooting forward and grabbing the Uchiha by his throat. Sasuke found himself gasping for air as his windpipe was forcibly closed off. The rest of Orochimaru's body slithered out of the ground and he grinned at the enraged boy who was glaring at him defiantly. "I can't have you spoiling my new toy before I get the chance to play with it Sasuke-kun." Before the teen could respond, he felt a heavy impact on his chest. The combined strain of being choked outand the devastating blow to his solar plexus proved to be too much and a pain groan escaped the boy as he slipped out of consciousness.

Sensing a rapidly approaching signature behind him, Orochimaru spun and launched the comatose Sasuke towards his assailant. Zero Two's brow furrowed even more at the man's actions, but she didn't waiver in the slightest. She vaulted over the barreling form of her teammate and drove Strelitzia through his billowing shirt into the ground. The fabric held strong, snagging the boy to an abrupt halt. He was definitely going to feel that later, but it was better than flying face first into a tree at breakneck speeds. Zero Two managed to keep her momentum as she landed and the blue flames returned to her palm once more. This time they took on the shape of elongated claws that look ready to carve through anything they came into contact with. "I'll drain you dry!" The rosette snarled.

"Ohoho~!," Orochimaru chuckled. The girl was clearly volatile, but she was definitely skilled. Zero Two closed the distance between them in an instant, swiping at her target with flaming claws. Orochimaru's body contorted one more as he sidestepped the attack. Not willing to give the girl a chance for a follow up attack, he sprang his on counterattack. His limbs wriggled her own, locking the rosette in place.

"Argh! Get off me you slimy bastard!" Zero Teo barked as she struggled to break free.

"If you want my chakra so bad, then I'll gladly give it to you~!" Orochimaru reeled his head back as he opened his mouth wide, revealing a pair of long, snake-like fangs. He struck with the swiftness of a python, clamping down on his prey before she could even react. Zero Two let out a sharp cry when she felt a searing pain burst forth in her shoulder. Kurama's chakra dissipated from her system and she felt her own being suppressed as a foreign energy invaded her body. She wanted to cry out in pain, but struggled to even draw breath as her body slowly began to shut down.

Feeling the teen go limp in his grasp, Orochimaru finally released the rosette. She collapsed to the ground, floating in and out of consciousness as her body twitched in pain. The last thing she saw before the darkness finally claimed her was the snake's mirthful grin. "I never thought I would see this day. An actual klaxosaur-human hybrid before my eyes. You will make a wonderful host. I hope you enjoy my little parting gift," He chortled as a mitsudomoe-patterned mark appeared at the base of Zero Two's neck. His eyes locked on to the last standing member of their squad, causing the girl to flinch as his body began to melt into the earth.

"Make sure you all make it to the tower. It would be a shame for all of you to drop out now. But be wary, my subordinates are still out there hunting you and they have explicit instructions to kill you all on sight. After such an impressive display of skill, I pray you all don't let me down."

Sakura watched with bated breathe a the snake man sank into the ground. After a few minutes, she could no longer sense his presence and let out a shaky breath she didn't even know she had been holding. Panicked green eyes tentatively scanned the scene below. In a matter of minutes, their entire team had been decimated. This was absolutely the worst case scenario. "Damnit...if only I could've been more useful," the pinkette berated herself. But even she knew, it wouldn't have made much of a difference. They were against one of the legendary Sannin after all, and he took down the others without even breaking a sweat.

"I have to get everyone away from here. Someone else was bound to have heard the battle that took place here and its only a matter of time before other teams show up." Sakura shifted the dead weight that was Naruto on her back and leapt down into the clearing below. She had to collect her other teammates and quickly find a place to hide. It was her job to protect all of them until they awoke. She had trained herself into the ground so that she could be of more use to the others and she refused to fail such a critical task, not when they needed her the most.

"Just hang on you guys!"

* * *

Phew, glad that's finally over with!

I know for a fact you guys will have a slew of questions regarding the curse mark, and all I'll say is that it's not going to turn out at how you're all expecting. Trust me lol.

You guys are gonna have to wait a little longer this time around for the next chapter because I plan to update my other story Thunder Maidens first. I was planning to do it after I finished the wave arc but we're already four chapters into the Chunin Exams. Good news is though that we are nearing completion for this story. I want to say It'll only take me like seven more chapters to wrap things up. Part II will be its own separate story so don't think this is the end!

As always, R+R and let me know what you think~!


	20. 020

**_020_**

* * *

Zero Two hummed in ecstasy as she munched downed on another piece of jerky. It was no pocky or dango, but dipping in honey was more than enough to appease her sweet tooth. Then again, that applied to just about everything. She just couldn't get enough of the sacchariferous substance. Her senses locked on to an object rapidly approaching her position. Zero Two scowled as she scooped up the bottle of honey at her side. Had she been even a second slower, her precious honey would've been wasted all over the ground. She threw a glare at the small figure that shot past her with no regard for her personal space. "Watch it you little brat before I string you up underwear again!"

All the color drained from Konohamaru's face at the thought. "S-Sorry Big Sis!" He rubbed his head sheepishly.

Just then, a body came flying out of the tree towering above Zero Two, catching the small ninja-in-training by surprise. "You let you guard down Konohamaru!" Naruto pounced on the boy, pinning him to the ground with a victorious smirk. "Your soul is mine now!"

"Ah!" Konohamaru wailed as he struggled to break free from the blond's grasp.

"K-Konohamaru-kun!"

Moegi appeared out of nowhere and slammed into Naruto's side, tackling him to the ground. Udon came flying in shortly after, latching onto the older boy's backside. "We won't let you hurt the Hokage!" He cried as he slammed his tiny fist on the blond's back.

"Ack!" Naruto grunted as the trio dogpiled on top of him. "You think reinforcements will say you?! All of you will suffer my wrath y'know! MWAHAHAHA!"

"We'll show you not to underestimate the Will of Fire!" Konohamaru shouted valiantly.

Zero Two rolled her eyes as she watched her beloved wrestle around with the Konohomaru Corps. Naruto was keeping good on his promise to play Ninja with them and she didn't very well feel like sitting in the house all day so she decided to tag along. The promise of dango afterwards may have influenced her decision as well. As annoying as the group of brats were, she found it endearing how much they looked up to Naruto. It was actually rather adorable watching him revel in their praises. "Take it somewhere else you guys. You're interrupting my snack time," she grumbled. Honestly, all this open space in the park and they just _had_ to crowd around her.

"Ah yes, my mistress!" Naruto managed to free up an arm as Konohamaru, Moegi, and Udon kept him pinned down. "Help me my love! They're...draining my strength!" He wheezed dramatically as he reached out to the rosette, who promptly rolled her eyes once more in response.

"Keep it up you guys! We almost have him!" Konohamru proclaimed.

"Right!"

Naruto tried desperately to shake off the nine year-olds clinging to him, but to no avail. They had become surprisingly stronger after he showed them a few chakra control exercises. "Ack! Chakra draining...strength failing...slowly dying..." Naruto groaned. "Help me love..."

"Nice try Darling, but I'm not getting caught up in your little game."

"Only your touch can revitalize me so that I may defeat this tiny menace y'know!"

"Sound like a personal problem."

"I shall give you the moon itself!"

"What about the stars?"

"I will drown the world in darkness and begin it anew for you Hime. Our love will transcend heaven itself y'know! Or something like that..."

Zero Two's incurious demeanor was betrayed by the small grin that split her features. Naruto could be such a cheesy dork at times, but at least he was her dork. "Look at the mess you've gotten yourself into Darling," the rosette spoke haughtily. "I suppose I shall lend you my strength. Now, hurry and dispose of this "Hokage" so that you may fulfill your promise to me." She reached out to grab his hand and her eyes widened in shock when Konohamru, Moegi, and Udon were suddenly repelled away from Naruto. She was even more alarmed by the bulging veins on Naruto's arm. The color was rapidly draining from his skin and she could feel chakra surging into her system. Naruto was overcome with fear as glanced between Zero Two and their connected hands.

"H-Hime...?"

 _'Oh no!'_

Zero Two immediately recognized these symptoms. The same had happened to the people that she had tried partnering up with previously. She tried to relinquish her hold on the blond's hand, but her grip remained firm. Dread began to flood her system as Naruto grew more and more pale. "Darling!" The sun suddenly vanished from the sky and darkness conquered the land. Zero Two was oblivious to the encroaching shadows and could only stare in horror as she forcibly drained her beloved of his chakra.

"W-Why...? I thought...you loved me..."

"Darling! Stay with me!" Zero Two rushed to his side, tears pooling in her eyes. By now Naruto's skin was a sickly shade of white and he was gasping for air. She could feel is pulse growing weaker by the second. "Darling please!" The rosette sobbed. This didn't make any sense. Naruto should've been immune because he had ingested her blood all those years ago. At least, that's what they thought. Naruto had never been adversely affected so why now? Zero Two's heart skipped a beat when crimson chakra exploded out Naruto's comatose body and surged into her. "No, no, no, no, no!"

"Kukukuku~"

Tear stained viridian eyes snapped towards the sound of the voice. A tall figure emerged from the shadows, immediately causing the rosette's expression to sour. "You!

"My, my, look at you. Quite the specimen. Danzō truly outdid himself this time," Orochimaru chortled as he stared down at the girl with analytical eyes.

"What the hell did you do you bastard?!"

"Me? I've done nothing at all dear child." The pale Sannin had the decency to appear offended. "Not yet at least kukuku~"

"I'll kill you you son of a bitch!" Zero Two roared. Her rage instantly shattered when Naruto's body fell to ashes. "Darling..." she could only stare in disbelief as crimson chakra washed over her. It took on the form of a fox, letting out a primal roar as it consumed the rosette. A malevolent grin found its way to the serpent's face as he watched the scene before him.

"I'm really going to enjoy taking that body of yours girl Kukuku~"

* * *

Zero Two awoke with a start, beryl eyes flickering open in a panic. Her breaths came out shallow and she was drench in sweat. Her eyes fluttered rapidly as she took in her surroundings. She was in a small room lined with stone walls and four small cots, three of which were empty. A gentle rumble reached her ears and she lifted her head, letting out a sigh of relief.

Naruto was passed out beneath her, snoring away as he slept. The subtle rise and fall of his chest helped to relax the rosette as she steadied her breathing once more. "Damn it not again..." For the last four days, she had been subjected to the same nightmare. She normally slept peacefully, especially at her beloved's side. But now every time she closed her eyes, she always saw his death. At her hands. She felt a dull ache in her shoulder and brought up a hand to rub the patch of irritated skin. She could still feel the phantom pain from when Orochimaru bit her four days ago. He had injected some of his own chakra into her and it had been driving her crazy ever since. The bastard even left some kind of weird mark, which was the source of the foul chakra that had invaded her system. It wasn't as bad now that her body had begun to assimilate it, but that first day after she woke up had been hell.

After the Sannin had left them all beaten and broken, Sakura managed to carry them all to safety. After hiding them away in a hollowed our trunk high in the treetops, she took their Heaven and Earth scrolls and raced off towards the tower to get help. Unfortunately, she ran into the squad of Sound Genin along the way. They tortured her for nearly an hour before she managed to escape by cutting off her hair and slipping away with her Chameleon Jutsu. She just barely made it the tower and informed the proctors of the situation before passing out, nearly dying of chakra exhaustion in the process. Zero Two held the pinkette in higher regard after learning that. She had come along way from the annoying, bitchy know-it-all that she first met four months ago. Unfortunately, she suffered a broken arm at the hands of her assailants and was forced to drop out of the exam. The team portion had already concluded, but she couldn't help but feel sorry for her friend. She worked so hard to prove herself and earn this promotion, only to have the chance stolen away. This was all that bastard Orochimaru's fault. One way or another, she was going to make him pay.

"Boop."

She suddenly felt a gentle poke on her nose, causing her eyes to blink in surprise. Her eyes fell on her beloved, who was grinning widely at her.

"It's super cute when you get all lost in thought like that y'know," Naruto chuckled.

"Darling~!," Zero Two beamed as she nuzzled her face into his chest. "You're finally awake!"

Naruto smiled as he ran his fingers through her sanguine tresses. "Man, I feel like crap. Where are we and how long was I out?" The last thing he remembered was fighting Orochimaru in the forest. There was this searing pain in his stomach and then everything went dark.

"The tower. You've been asleep for four days Darling."

" _Four days?!_ What the hell happened?!"

"Orochimaru," Zero Two growled, her chakra flaring ever so slightly. "He really did a number on all of us. After he knocked all of us out, it was Sakura who ensured we passed. We would've failed if not for her," she admitted solemnly.

Naruto immediately picked up on the rosette's despondent bearing and it made him worry. It wasn't like Zero Two to let things get her down. "How are you holding up Hime? You're not hurt are you?" He queried, eliciting a smile from his beloved.

"Only my pride," she snorted out an empty laugh, instinctively bringing up a hand to rub her shoulder. "That bastard bit me and left some kind of seal, but other than that I'm completely fine."

"He what?!"

Naruto's own hand immediately snatched hers away, revealing a small mark. It was three small tomoe spiraling around one another, which was very reminiscent of Sasuke's Sharingan. Cerulean bled crimson as anger flashed through the blond's eyes. **"I'll fucking kill him y'know!"**

Zero Two could only giggle as she drew circles across his chest with her finger. "Get in line Darling. And I'm fine, honestly. I mean it hurt like hell the first few days, but now it's just this dull, annoying pain. He infused some of his chakra into as well, but my body as absorbed majority of it by now."

"You sure it's not infected or anything? God knows where his mouth has been y'know," Naruto shuddered at the thought.

"Well...my body is resistant to most poisons, both natural and artificial. And I've never been sick a day in my life so I'm sure I'll be fine," Zero Two shrugged as she pressed herself more tightly against the blond, joyfully nuzzling her face against his torso. "And if not I always have you to nurse me back to health~!" Naruto rolled his eyes but couldnot fight back the smile that spread across his face. "What about you Darling? You were out for four whole days. I saw his hand glowing right before he hit you."

"Hm...I don't feel any different. I'll ask Kurama to make sure everything checks out." Naruto mused. _'Neh Kurama, you awake?'_ He was met with silence.

 _'Kuramaaa.'_

Still no response.

 _'Oi you lazy old fox wake your ass up!'_

By now, he was starting to grow worried. The fox usually preferred not to be bothered unless it was a matter of importance but he always responded whenever he pestered him enough. If anything, Naruto was quite adept at annoying people. He tried switching gears and calling upon some of the beast's chakra but he was met with extreme resistance. Not only could he not channel any of Kurama's chakra, but his own felt in disarray. He could still sense minuscule amount that was always present within his system, but it wasn't even enough for him to enter the one-tailed state. This was definitely cause for concern. "Odd...I can't get ahold of him. I can't seem to call out his chakra either."

"I see..." Zero Two nodded. That certainly explained a few things on her end. Unlike the chakra she received from Naruto or stole from anyone else, her body was not able to assimilate Kurama's chakra as her own. It simply lay dormant within her until she called it out. It even allowed her to communicate with the fox himself whenever she was in close proximity of Naruto. She had tried making contact for the last few days to get an update on the blond's condition but to no avail. Unlike her Darling, she was in his good graces and typically didn't ignore her, much to Naruto's annoyance. "It could have something to do with whatever attack Orochimaru used on you. What should we do?"

"Honestly...I don't know." Naruto sighed. He had never encountered such a situation before and there's wasn't exactly anyone he could turn to for help. Not that anyone would bother themselves with a matter concerning the beast that nearly wiped out the village fifteen years ago. "I could try asking the Old Man when I get the chance." The Third Hokage was known as the God of Shinobi so he was bound to know something right?

The sound of the doorknob turning caught their attention and the couple looked up to see the door opening. Sakura stepped into the room and her eyes widened in surprise. "Naruto you're awake!"

"Hey-" Naruto's words caught in his throat when saw the cast and sling that encased the pinkette's left arm. "Sakura what happened?!"

"Oh this..." she laughed sheepishly as she lifted her arm slightly. "Just a battle scar. The doctor said it was a clean break and would take a month or so to heal. Unfortunately, I had to drop out of Exam..." she said solemnly. It wasn't fair that she was forced to give up after making it so far, but she ended up saving her friends in the process and they were able to continue on because of her. Even if given a second chance, she would do it all over again without hesitation. "It sucks, but I've comes to terms with it. There's always next year right?"

"I guess so..." Naruto frowned. "Does it hurt?"

"Not as much anymore. Though my normal day to day routines are a bit awkward now," Sakura shrugged. "What about you Naruto? I know you're a heavy sleeper and all, but you were out for four days. It was impossible to get Zero Two to leave your side," she smirked.

"S-Shut up Pinky!" The rosette snapped, the cherry hue of her cheeks betraying the ferocious scowl marring her features.

"Ha!" Naruto laughed, matching his teammate's grin with one of his own. "Still a bit groggy at the moment, but in top shape nonetheless y'know! Where's Sasuke?"

"He's waiting with Kakashi-sensei and the others. I was actually sent to fetch Zero Two because the third phase I about to begin, but it's good you're awake now. You won't be forced to drop out like me."

"Wow they really waste no time with these things. Guess we should get ready then. We'll be out in five," Naruto gave her a thumbs up.

"Yeah well, try not to get too distracted sucking each other's faces off."

"No promises!"

Sakura rolled her eyes at the duo before departing, closing the door behind her. Naruto returned his attention to the rosette straddling his waist and flashed her a bright smile. "Shall we go see what the day has planned for us Milady?"

"Do we have tooo?" Zero Two all but whined.

"Hime..."

"Fiiiiiine," The oni groaned as she reluctantly dismounted the blond. The faster they go this stupid promotion exam over, the faster she could get back to spending some much needed quality time with her Darling.

"Neh Hime..."

"Yes Darling?"

"Did you drool on me again...?"

Zero Two's face heated up instantly and she whipped around and saw Naruto inspecting his drenched shirt, confusion etched across his features.

"O-Of course I didn't y'know! D-Dummy Darling!"

"Then why the hell am I wet all over?!"

* * *

The sound of an opening door caught Sasuke's attention and he turned to see Naruto and Zero Two entering the massive room. A smirk crossed the Uchiha's features as he waved them over. He snuck quick glance towards the upper walkway and spotted Sakura standing next to their sensei giving them a thumbs up. "Sleeping Beauty awakens. And here we thought you went into hibernation for the winter."

"Hardy har har," Naruto responded with an annoyed expression. He bumped fists with his friend before scanning the room. "I guess these are all the other teams that passed as well huh?" He was glad to see that all of the other Leaf teams made it this far.

"Yeah, the last group arrived twenty minutes ago," Sasuke affirmed. They were lucky enough to get here on the first day, which gave them ample time to recover from their injuries. And it was all thanks to Sakura. His initial assessment of the girl was completely wrong. She was far more dependable than he originally gave her credit for. "Apparently Hokage-sama is going to give a speech before the next phase begins, but he hasn't arrived yet."

"Well he's no spring chicken y'know," Naruto snickered. Zero Two on the other hand snorted in disgust.

"That dirty old geezer is probably off somewhere reading that same smut the Scarecrow indulges in."

"You two...have absolutely no respect for authority do you?" Sasuke stared at the couple incredulously. They were probably the only people in the village that could get away with calling the Hokage of all people an _"Old Geezer"_. Naruto and Zero Two shared matching grins as they shrugged nonchalantly.

"Not really," they spoke in tandem.

"Alright you brats, listen up! Hokage-sama is going to explain the third stage of the exam so eyes up front!" Anko called out from the front of the room. She turned to Hiruzen and offered a formal bow. "The floor is yours Hokage-sama."

"Thank you Anko," the elderly Kage smiled at the woman before turning to address the collection of aspiring ninja gathered before him. "Before I begin, let me be the first to congratulate you on making it this far in the exam. I know it's been a grueling process, but you all rose to the challenge and overcame adversity. Now, I think it would be best for all of you to understand the true purpose of these exams."

 _'True purpose?'_ Naruto's head tilted in confusion.

"Tell me, why do you think the nations hold the exams on a conjoint basis? Raising the levels of shinobi and friendship between allied nations is what you've all been led to believe correct?" Hiruzen spoke rhetorically before taking a drag on his pipe. "I can't have you all have the wrong impression about that statement. To be frank, the exams are a microcosm of battle between nations."

"What do you mean Hokage-sama?" Tenten asked, voicing the group's collective confusion.

"Unlike today, the allied nations in the past were constantly battling to exert dominance over one another. Eventually, they decided against the senseless crushing of each other's forces and agreed upon a mutual battleground. And thus was the origin of the Chūnin Exams."

"Oi Old Man!" Naruto exclaimed, drawing flares from his fellow Leaf shinobi. "I thought we were doing this so we could become Chūnin?"

"Make no mistake my boy, the purpose of the Exams is certainly promote ninja deserving of the Chūnin rank. But they also serve as a venue for those carrying the pride of their nation on their back to prove themselves by fighting for their life," The Hokage clarified. "Many feudal lords, nation leaders, and other prestigious clients have been invited as guests to this stage of the exam. Nations whose teams do well will see an influx in contracts while those that don't will see a severe decline. With this, nation's can exert pressure on another by displaying the strength of their growing forces without engaging in a full scale war."

"But why do we have to fight for our lives?!" Kiba interjected.

"A nation's strength is the strength of the village. The strength of the village is the strength of its shinobi. A shinobi's true strength only emerges in a battle where their very life is on the line." Hiruzen explained. He understood their frustrations, but this was the cruel reality of the ninja world. Shinobi constantly tread the line between life and death. Only the strong, both in mind and body, would survive when it came to such a profession. "This Exam is where a nation can test and display the strength of their shinobi. They put their lives on the line to because your forerunners believed that fighting for the pride of their nation was a dream worth dying for!"

"But...why use the expression _"friendship"_?!" Tenten inquired.

"This is exactly why I don't you having the wrong impression. The Exams are a custom where balance is preserved by fighting and removing life. _That_ is the friendship of the Shinobi World." Hiruzen said sternly. He observed the group before him scrutinously as the weight of his words began to sink in.

"Tch, like I care about this politics crap," Naruto scoffed before directing a shit-eating grin at his villager leader. "Just show me who's ass I have to kick y'know!"

"Anything is fine," Gaara's monotone voice trailed after the blond, bloodlust rolling off the boy in waves. "Let's start this fight-for-life contest already."

Hiruzen could only smile at the younger ninjas' eagerness. He expected nothing less from Naruto himself. "In that case, I will now explain the third phase of The Chūnin Exam." But before the Hokage could speak, a Shadow fell from the ceiling. The figure rose it's full height, revealing itself to be a young man. He had short brown hair and black eyes. Despite his youthful appearance, he had pronounced lines under his eyes and a fragile build. He was garbed in the standard Konoha shinobi outfit complete with a that he wore as a bandanna. Naruto and Zero Two immediately recognized the man. His name was Gekkō Hayate. He was Yūgao's lover and was also the person who taught her kenjutsu. Naruto always made it a point to ask the older man for pointers whenever he came around.

"Pardon my interruption Hokage-sama, but please allow me to speak with them first," Hayate offered a formal bow. After receiving an affirmative nod, he turned to address the Genin. "Greetings everyone, my name is Gekkō Hayate-" a sudden cough racked the Jōnin, forcing him to pause and catch his breath. "And I will be the proctor for this stage of the exam."

"Before we can move onto the third stage, we will be hosting a preliminary, with the chance to compete in the main battle on the line."

"Preliminary?!" Shikamaru uncharacteristically shouted. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?!"

"Yeah, what's wrong with using the people still remaining?" Ino growled in annoyance.

"Well...frankly speaking, there are still too many of you left. Perhaps that could be because the first and second stages this time around were too easy," Hayate coughed. Anko's venomous glare was burning a hole into the back of her unsuspecting coworker. "In accordance with the guidelines, we have to cut the number of advancing applicants."

"Hn...if it's not one thing, it's another," Sasuke snorted.

"As Hokage-sama previously mentioned, there will be many guests attending and we have a limited timetable to work with. There's no point in having so many long and drawn out battles," the sickly man explained. "Those who are not in top physical shape-" His words were once again heckled by a forceful cough.

 _'Is this guy really one to talk...?'_ Temari rose an eyebrow.

"Excuse me," Hayate recomposed himself before continuing on. "Those who wish to drop out, now is the time to speak up. The preliminary will begin immediately so-"

"Immediately?!" Kiba exclaimed.

"But we finally made it through the second phase..." Ino sulked.

"Tch, talk about troublesome..."

"What about food?!"

Naruto had completely toned out the voices of his old classmates. _'Alright, I'm getting fired up! I'm gonna ace this thing with flying colors and move on to conquer the big stage y'know!'_ Zero Two grinned when she saw fiery determination spark to life in the blond's eyes. It seemed she would have put forth her full effort if she didn't want to get left behind.

"I forgot to mention, but these will be individual battles from now own. Your squad will not be adversely affected should you choose to drop out, so feel free to do so." Hayate informed them..

"Excuse me, but I would like to resign," a hand shot into the air. Everyone turned to the appendage belonged to Kabuto. "My body is at its limit and after being told my life would be on the line, I don't think I can go on," he chuckled nervously as he rubbed his head.

Hayate flipped through the forms fastened to the clipboard in his hands and stopped at the one containing the teen's information. "Kabuto Yakushi of the Leaf Village, is it? Very well then, please step back. Will there be any others?" His words were met with silence. "In that case, we now will begin the preliminaries. These will be one-on-one individual battles. Opponents will be selected at random and there are no rules. You will fight until one of you either dies, collapses, or admits defeat. Please keep in mind that it is within my power to intervene and stop the match as I see fit and Interference from anyone other than myself to assist a combatant will result in their immediate disqualification. Since there are an even twenty of you left, there will be ten rounds. Now then..." One of the panels on the back wall groaned as it began to rise, slowly revealing a large black screen hidden underneath. "We will begin the first match." The electronic board lit up and names began flying across the screen in rapid succession. This persisted for a few seconds before it suddenly halted, revealing the names of the first competitors.

 _Zero Two vs Abumi Zaku_

Hayate nodded to himself after reading the board. "I would ask that everyone other than these two to please relocate to the upper balcony."


	21. 021

_**021**_

* * *

Naruto leaned against the railing of the upper walkway, Zero Two's blazer slung over his shoulder as he watched her go through some light stretches. His girlfriend's beauty never ceased to amaze him. The way that black bodysuit hugged her curves didn't leave much to the imagination and the crimson sash tied in the shape of a butterfly around her waist seemed to dance elegantly behind her as she moved. He caught sight of Sakura standing next to him in his peripherals. He turned to speak with his teammate but was halted by the pinkette's trouble expression. She was as stiff as a board as she stared down at the arena like a deer caught in lights. He followed her gaze and noticed it was directed at the boy who was to be Zero Two's opponent.

If he remembered correctly, it was the Sound squad that had hurt Sakura. They were the reason his friend had been forced to retire prematurely. Cautiously placing a hand on her shoulder, he gave the panicked girl a gentle shake. Sakura flinched and her head immediately snapped in the blond's direction, the same fearful expression etched onto her face. "Sakura...was he the one...?" She didn't respond, instead electing to turn away in shame as a single tear rolled down her cheek. Naruto let out a feral growl as he slammed his fist down on the rail, drawing the attention of the others and causing the metal to grown as bent beneath his hand. "Hime!" Zero Two was just finishing up the last of her calisthenics when she heard her beloved call out to her. She glanced up at the balcony and her brow furrowed when she noticed his irate expression. "He's the one."

The rosette was left puzzled until she noticed Sakura was standing beside him. She looked as if she was about to die of fright any moment now. It didn't take her long to decipher the meaning of his words. Her eyes narrowed as she redirected her gaze at her opponent. He had spiky, black hair and dark eyes. He wore a beige shirt with two black stripes and three prints of the kanji for death inscribed down the front. His headband had a happuri attached under the cloth that framed the side of his face and he wore a snake-patterned scarf around his neck. " _You..._ " she growled at the boy, drawing his attention. "You hurt my friend."

A look of confusion briefly passed over Zaku's face until his face lit up with revelation. "Oh! You must be teammates with the other pink-haired bitch. She was quite the screamer," Zaku leered. "Shame we didn't kill her off in the forest. Fucking cunt bit me," he spat.

Zero Two's beryl eyes were stained crimson as Kurama's chakra flooded into her system. The fact that he was connected to Orochimaru in some fashion was enough to make her blood boil. But this new revelation just upped the ante on the situation. She was really going to enjoy killing this punk. Hayate sensed the tension between the two teens and nearly shuddered at Zero Two's expression. She was clearly pissed off, which never ended well for the person that sparked her ire. "Are both combatants ready?" He asked as he raised his hand in the air.

"Just start so I can blow her away already," Zaku grinned in anticipation. Zero Two merely cracked her knuckles in response.

"Begin!" Hayate coughed, bring down his hand to sign the start of the match.

"Heh, I'll show you the power of the Soun-" Zaku was silenced by a knee that drove itself directly into his nose, shattering it. He was send skidding backwards from the blow and was left momentarily stunned. The sharp pain and warm sensation of blood trailing down his face quickly brought him back to his senses. "You bitch! You broke my fucking nose!"

"I'm going to break a lot more than that," Zero Two said flatly as she raised her left hand and formed the sign of confrontation. Her horns began to glow with chakra and fire swirled around her, startling the Sound ninja and majority of the bystanders. _**"Argentea!"**_

"Oh," Naruto blinked. "She's going to use them."

"Huh? What are you talking about Naruto?" Sakura looks duo at him in confusion. The blond only grinned as he kept his match trained on the match below. "You'll see."

The flames surged down Zero Two's arms and coiled around her wrists before suddenly dispersing. The rosette was now donning a pair of sleek, metallic gauntlets that stretched up her forearm. Each of her fingers were now armed with sharp blades with likeness of dragon claws. She interlocked her fingers before tearing them apart, grinding the blades against one another and heating them up with fire chakra.

Zero Two had come up with the idea for the day they started training for the exam. Argentea accentuated her taijutsu prowess while the bladed claws added yet another edge of lethality. As much as she adored her beloved Strelizia, she recognized that it wasn't particularly effective in a situation in which she could be forced to fight in a confined space. But much like her spear, the claws were made from the same special metal that allowed her to infuse them with chakra. They were also named after a flower, to which Ino informed it represents joyous, uncomplicated affection and symbolizes immaturity. She honestly couldn't think of a better fitting name. She planned to use this fight as an opportunity to test their effectiveness.

Zaku stared warily at the burning claws as a bead of sweat rolled down the side of his face. This girl wouldn't be as easy to takedown as the other one, but he refused to let himself be intimidated. "Is that supposed to scare me or something? I'll obliterate you bitch!" The brown-haired boy spat as he pointed his right hand at his opponent. There was a small metal tube that extended out of his palm slightly and began to hiss as he gathered his chakra. _**"Decapitating Airwaves!"**_ Wind blasted forth from Zaku's palm, dancing the ground and tearing through the stone tiles as it closed in on the rosette. A victorious smirk had already made its way to the teen's face, eagerly anticipating her demise. That was at least until Zero Two suddenly flashed away just as the gale struck and reappeared before him. The color immediately drained from Zaku's face as she drew back her hand and took a stance, a streak of rage flashing through her vermilion eyes.

 _ **"Dragon Flame Palm!"**_

Fire surged around Zero Two's fist, taking the shape of a massive claw as she drove it towards her prey's torso. Zaku was sent rocketing backwards from the force of the blow and slammed into the wall with a sickening crunch. Zero Two didn't even bat an eyelash when his body went up in smoke, leaving behind the charred remains of a small log. She sensed a spike in chakra and glanced up to see Zaku suspended above her. Both of his hands were directed at her and he bore a menacing scowl. _**"Extreme Decapitating Airwaves!"**_ An even stronger blast of wind exploded from his palm and came crashing down on the rosette's position.

 _'Tch...talk about annoying,'_ Zero Two clicked her tongue as she allowed more of Kurama's chakra to leak into her system. **_"Dragon Vein!"_** Her horns were illuminated with an eerie vermillion light that dyed her hair a vibrant shade of carmine, the demonic aura floating around her giving it the likeness of fire itself. Zero Two narrowed her eyes at the Sound-nin as she gathered her chakra and lifted a hand. The bastard actually believed he stood a chance. _**"Fire Style: Chaotic Flame!"**_ Crimson flames exploded from her palm, shooting skyward in a fiery haze. Being born of the inferior chakra nature, the turbulent winds were swallowed by the raging flames, but the force behind them was enough to destabilize both attacks. The resulting explosion shook the entire building and a thick smokescreen settled onto the battleground. Zaku landed safely in the middle of the arena and brought up his scarf to cover his face. _'Where did that bitch go? She'll pay for trying to make a fool out of me!'_

 _ **"Fox Hunt!"**_

Zero Two's disembodied voiced echoed around him. It was only now that he noticed the interminable darkness that had overtaken the arena. He spotted a pair of glowing red orbs dancing through the shadows and instinctively brought up his hands. _**"Extreme Decapitating Airwaves!"**_ His palms detonated continuously with wind chakra, haphazardly firing blade-like gusts into the unending darkness. With the help of the tubes implanted into his arms, his attacked covered a wide range and by adjusting the air to sound ratio, he was able to ricochet them off the walls to cover any gaps in his defense. Even if he couldn't see his opponent, it would be incredibly difficult for her to close in on him without getting clipped. "How do you like that you bitch?! Let's see you try to touch me now!"

The response to his hubristic provocation came in the form of a faint, low aeolian whistle that went completely unnoticed by the sound ninja until it was too late. Zaku's cocksure grin dissolved when the sensibility of his left hand suddenly disappeared. Sparing a glance at his arm, his breath hitched and words caught in his throat when he saw that it was missing. All that remained was a bloody stump that was once his shoulder. The young genin's chakra spiked wildly as hysteria began to set in. The vibrating zephyrs being released from his other hand increased in velocity and mass, ravaging the the makeshift arena with reckless abandon. Another flash of movement removed his other arm as Zaku's brain finally registered the excruciating pain. He dropped to his knees and let out an agonizing scream.

Zero Two reappeared before him, snatching the boy by his throat with a feral scowl. **"How pitiful,"** she snorted as her claws dug into his neck and siphoned his chakra at an alarming rate. **"This is for hurting my friend!"** Zero Two snarled, snatching her hand away and ripping out her prey's jugular. Life faded from Zaku's eyes as his body pitched forward, only to be caught by the rosette's other hand. _**"Searing Dragon Flame Palm!"** _Fire surged forth from Zero Two's arm, enveloping corpse in a fiery explosion. The detonation shook the entire room with the force of an earthquake and completely eviscerated the sound-nin.

Hayate stared at the rosette in equal parts horror and awe. Without a corpse, his ruling was pretty clear-cut. "The first round has come to a conclusion. The winner is Zero Two!" His announcement was met with silence as Zero Two glared at the empty space in front of her. The Tailed Beast chakra coursing through her system dissipated as she dismissed Argentea and her features returned to normal.

"Woo! Way to go Hime~!"

Zero Two turned around and spotted her beloved cheering excitedly, bringing a smile to the hybrid's face. "Did you see me Darling~?"

"How could I not?! That was badass!"

"Yes, praise me more Darling~! Ohohohohoho~!" Zero Two's obnoxious laugh bounced off the walls, causing her fellow Leaf-nins to sweat drop at her immeasurable vanity. She spotted Sakura standing next Naruto with an awed expression and flashed fellow pink-haired companion a toothy grin accompanied by a thumbs up.

Hayate shook his head at the volatile teen. He hadn't been expecting a fatality so early into the matches, but this was Zero Two after all. After being around her nearly 4 years, he'd grown to accustomed to her hijinks. At least that was until Naruto came into the picture. Shaking his head clear of the stray thoughts, Hayate expelled the mucus building up in his throat with a forceful cough and recomposed himself. "Alright then, we will now move on to the second."

* * *

"The sixth round has concluded. The winner is Nara Shikamaru."

"Man, Shika's Shadow techniques sure are a force to be reckon with," Naruto let out a low whistle as he watched the lazy boy help his best friend back to his feet.

"I'll say. Being able to control your opponent's movements like that is really something else y'know," Zero Two mused.

"Uh...Hime?"

"Yes Darling?"

"Why exactly am I carrying you again?"

Zero Two hummed contently as she cradled herself against the blond's backside. "Because my feet hurt and you're the bestest Darling in the whole wide world~!" Naruto rolled his eyes and returned his attention back to the arena below. Over the course of the last hour, they had witnessed quite a few impressive matches.

After Zero Two had literally blown away her competition, his old classmate Shino went on to face a fellow Leaf-nin from Kabuto's team by the name of Yoroi. Apparently he had the ability to siphon chakra much like Zero Two and used that to his advantage to overwhelm the younger Genin. Or so he thought at least. It turns out that members of Shino's clan, the Aburame, are infused at birth with a special breed of insects known as Kikaichū. These parasitic insects nest within their body and feed on their chakra, and in return, the host is able to command them at will. Shino unleashed his own insects against the unsuspecting Yoroi and drained the man of his chakra, this turning the tide in the quiet teen's favor. It wasn't long before he admitted defeat and Shino was declared the winner.

Following that match, Kankurō, one of the Sand-nin they had a run in with two weeks prior, faced off against Yoroi's teammate Misumi. The match began with Misumi activating a technique that increased the flexibility of his body, taking Kankurō off guard by coiling himself around the younger boy like a python. Misumi threatened to snap his neck if he didn't concede, but Kankurō refused to give in and the older man promptly followed through on his threat. But to the surprise of everyone, the reall Kankurō emerged from the bandage packed strapped to the corpse's back and reveal that it was actually a puppet. The marionette overpowered the astonished Misumi and the older man found himself in a similar situation he had subjected his opponent to. Only Kankurō didn't hesitate in the slightest. His puppet, affectionately named Crow, shattered the bones in Misumi's limbs and secured its master a victory.

The fourth match was actually rather anticlimactic in Naruto's opinion. It was between Ino and Kin, the lone Sound kunoichi and Zaku's teammate. She went on an incredibly obnoxious and long-winded tirade about being superior to the likes of _"Leaf Scum",_ only to fall victim to Ino's signature **Mind Transfer Jutsu**. Having taken complete control of her opponent's body, Ino forfeited the match on Kin's behalf and moved onto the next round.

The fifth match between the Sand-nun Temari and the Leaf's own Tenten of Team Ten was just as one-side as the previous one, if not more so. Tenten was incredibly skilled at shurikenjutsu and attacking from a distance. Unfortunately, all of her attacks were rendered useless by Temari's Wind-Style and the blonde finished off her foe in a decisive sweep. The emotional Rock Lee descend from the rafters to avenge his teammate after Temari nearly broke her back but was stopped by his sensei.

And that led to the following match between Shikamaru and Chōji. Naruto felt a bit of remorse for the two at having to face off against a friend and teammate, but the Chūnin Exam cared not for such camaraderie. As he and Sasuke has yet to called forth, he hoped such a hardship didn't come to arise between himself and the Uchiha. Naruto was drawn from his thoughts when he noticed Hayate step into the center of the arena once more.

"We will now proceed with the seventh round," the sickly Jōnin rasped. The screen began to cycle through the remaining participants before settling on the next combatants.

 _Uzumaki Naruto vs Izunuka Kiba_

"Naruto, Kiba-san, please make your way down," Hayate coughed out.

"Heh, guess I'm up," Naruto grinned. Zero Two reluctantly detected herself from the blond's backside, but her displeasure was quickly replaced by excitement.

"Show Kibbles who's boss Darling~!"

"MY NAME IS KIBA DAMNIT!"

Kakashi looked up from his book upon hearing his student's name called and turned to address the blond. "Give it your best Naruto, but don't take your opponent lightly," he advised, earning a nod from the boy.

"You got this Naruto!" Sakura cheered with a pump of her fist. Naruto smiled at the pinkette's encouraging words before his eyes fell on Sasuke who was leaning against the wall, arms folded across his chest. Sasuke stared at his best friend indifferently before a smirk settle on his features.

"Hurry up and put the mutt down already."

"Pfft, that's a given y'know!" Naruto laughed as he vaulted over the railing. He landed in the arena with dexterity of a fox and threw a grin at the feral shinobi that stood opposite of him. "I finally get to cut loose!"

"That's my line! With you as my opponent, this will be an easy victory!" Kiba exclaimed.

"Oi, oi, don't get too excited now Kiba. I don't want to crush your spirit as well. It's not like you stand a chance against me y'know!"

"This won't be like our spars in the academy Naruto. Don't hold it against me when I send you crying to your mate," Kiba smirked. Akamaru leapt from his comfortable pedestal atop Kiba's head and co-signed his partner's words with an enthusiastic bark.

"Ha! I'd like to see you try y'know!"

Hayate was quick to pick up on the teens' eagerness and raised his hand above his head. "With both combatants in position, the seventh match, Uzumaki Naruto vs. Inuzuka Kiba will now commence. Begin!"

Kiba immediately shifted threw a hand signs, causing Naruto's eyebrow to raise in suspicion. "Sit tight Akamaru, I'll finish this in an instant! _**Beast Mimicry: All-Fours Jutsu!**_ " Kiba's chakra swirled around him as he dropped into a four-point stance. His nails grew into sharp claws and features took on a more animalistic appearance. _'Naruto's become even stronger since we were in the academy, but so have I. No point holding back now!'_ He psyched himself up. Kiba shot forth, surprising Naruto with his speed and slammed an elbow into the blond's chest. Naruto was sent careening and crashed into a wall with enough force to form a small crater. "Ha! You should go ahead and call it Proctor. He won't be getting up anytime soon."

The Inuzuka's victorious smirk melted away when the sound of laughter reached his ears. "That's the best you got?" Naruto spit out of glob of blood. He peeled himself off the wall and rolled the stiffness out of the shoulders. "You hit like a bitch."

Kiba let out a feral growl as he reached into the pouch fastened to his hip. It seemed this wouldn't be as easy as he originally thought. "Let's go Akamaru!" He exclaimed as he launched a small black pellet in the blond's direction. It exploded upon hitting the ground, enveloping Naruto in a cloud of smoke.

 _'A smoke bomb huh? So that's his play.'_ Naruto mused. He could sense movement within the smokescreen but couldn't pinpoint the exact location. He noticed a shift in the smoke above him but was caught off guard by the uppercut that slammed into his chin. The smoke cleared to reveal Akamaru and a smirking Kiba standing over a downed Naruto.

"Once a dead last, always a dead last," he laughed. "Nice work Akamaru!" They had been perfecting their team work for a decade now and he expected nothing less of his partner. Which was exactly why he was surprised when his long time friend rounded on him and bit into his arm. "W-What?"

"You took the bait," Akamaru chortled. The small dog exploded in a cloud of smoke which dispersed to reveal a grinning Naruto. He released his hold on the animalistic boy before dismissing him with a crushing roundhouse. Kiba's limp form skipped across the floor like a ragdoll but he quickly recovered. He was ready to counterattack but froze at the sight before him.

"I wouldn't be too hasty if I were you. Wouldn't want Akamaru to get hurt now," Naruto warned. The blond was holding the pup up by his front legs in one hand and his sword just above his chest in the other. "Forfeit now, and everybody walks away in one piece," he said grimly. The last thing he wanted to do was hurt a friend, but he couldn't afford to be soft at a time like this. Lives were at stake and the both knew the risk coming into this battle.

Kiba's demeanor remained calm as he leveled a glare at the blond. "I'll at admit I took you too lightly Naruto. But I'll be taking Akamaru back now." Before Naruto could respond, Akamaru started to convulse wildly in his grasp. His chakra spiked suddenly and his fur turned an ominous shade of red. Akamaru kicked the blond in his chest, dispelling the shadow clone. Akamaru hastily returned to his partner and leapt onto Kiba back, who had just finish preparing his next jutsu.

 ** _"Beast Mimicy: Man Beast Clone!"_**

Naruto quickly was surprised to see another copy of the Izunuka standing before him. "No more playing around Naruto. We're going to drive you into the dirt!" Both Kibas roared. They charged forward in unison, giving Naruto little time to react. The duo began to gyrate wildly as the closed in on the blond. "This is the end Naruto! _**Fangs Over Fang!**_ "

Naruto was just barely able to dodge the first cyclone, but the second struck him square in the chest. He cried out in pain as sharpened claws tore into his chest. Naruto was driven backwards by the force of the blow, but managed to remain on his feet. _'Fine then. I won't hold back anymore either!'_ He growled. What little of Kurama's chakra that had remained in his system seeped out, altering his features. It wouldn't last long so he would have to end the fight quickly. Kiba was briefly suspended above him and retrieved two more smoke pellets from his pouch. "This is the end Naruto!" He cried as he launched them at the blond.

"Kick his ass Darling!" Zero Two exclaimed from the balcony above.

"Yeah, don't lose to a guy like that Naruto!" Sakura cosigned.

Naruto grinned at his teammate's encouraging words as he ran through a quick series of hand signs and he drew in a deep breath. "That's getting old y'know! _**Wind-Style: Unrelenting Force!**_ " Naruto cried before expelling the powerful gale at his feet. It exploded around him and instantly cleared the massive smokescreen. Naruto wasn't surprised in the slightest to see the twin cyclones barreling towards him once more. He sidestepped the first and seized Kiba by his collar, much to the Inuzuka's surprise. Naruto's knuckles popped as he flexed his hand and drew back his fist. Using all of his strength, he drove through feral ninja's face and sent him crashing into the wall. The brown-haired boy was knocked recoiled violently off the wall from the force of the blow and slumped to the ground. His body burst in a cloud of smoke, revealing the unconscious form of Akamaru.

The real Kiba was overcome with a primal rage at the sight of his injured companion and made a reckless beeline for the blond. "You'll pay for that Naruto! _**Fang Over Fang!"**_

Naruto didn't even bat an eyelash at the enraged teen and shot forward to meet his charge. Just as the twister drew near, Naruto vaulted over it at the last second and grabbed Kiba by the back of his shirt. Using his momentum, he disrupted Kiba's dash and slammed him into the ground, eliciting a sharp cry of pain from the boy. But he wasn't finished yet. Naruto quickly relinquished his hold of the Inuzukas shirt and grabbed him by his ankles. With a savage roar he slammed Kiba onto his back, expelling the air collected within his lungs. Naruto repeatedly slapped Kiba into the ground before spinning on a heel and flinging him high into the air, surprising most of the bystanders with the savage display of strength.

Just as Kiba reached the apex of his ascent, Naruto appeared above him. He clasped his hands together and reeled back before smashing Kiba back to the ground with a double axe handle. The battered dog-nin groaned in pain from the crater below. He could feel that several of his ribs were cracked, possibly even broken, and his head was swimming with nausea from the disorienting assault. His eyes widened when saw Naruto free falling towards him with his sword in hand. His eyes were burning with a devilish red glow and a demonic aura radiated from his entire being. Trepidation shone in the young Genin's eyes as the reality of his impending death began to seep in. The combination of fatigue and fear, accompanied by the severity of his injuries, caused the Inuzuka to lose consciousness as Naruto crashed down on top of him, shattering the concrete tiles and sending debris flying all across the arena. When the dust finally settled, everyone saw Naruto standing above Kiba's unmoving body. He slid his sword back into its scabbard and waved in Hayate's direction. "I think it's safe to call the match. He won't be waking up anytime soon." No matter what the Old Man said, he would never take the life of a friend for the sake of something as silly as a promotion.

"So it would seem," Hayate coughed. "The winner is Uzumaki Naruto!"

"HELL YEAH! That's my Darling~!"

"Nice Job Naruto!"

The blond smiled as he looked up to see the two pink-haired girls of his team cheering excitedly. Sasuke merely smirked, nodding his head in acknowledgment of his friend's victory while Kakashi flashed one of his signature eye smiles. "All in a day's work y'know!"

Hayate shook his head in amusement at the blond. Naruto had definitely come far from his times of raising hell as the village's resident serial prankster. He was shaping up to be a fine shinobi and it would be interesting to see how far he would go in his career. "Moving on, we will now proceed with the eight round."

* * *

"N-No way..." Naruto stared breathlessly at the scene below.

"Lee..."

"Tch...that idiot..."

Everyone watched on in silence as a team of medic-nins carried away the broken form of Rock Lee. He had been pitted up against Gaara in a brutal battle that was the ninth match. The taijutsu user initially had trouble closing in on the redhead due to a shield of sand that orbited around him. It appeared to be sentient in nature and reacted all of Lee's attacks, rendering them useless. That was until Lee took off his leg weights. The sheer mass of them was enough to make the concrete implode and boost to Lee's speed was preposterous. He easily out outmaneuvered Gaara's sand and was finally able to land a decisive blow. But to the green-clad ninja's surprise, Gaara's entire body was encased in a sturdy layer of sand. This armor was extremely durable and yet another layer to the redhead's "absolute defense". Lee was left with no other option than to resort to a forbidden technique known as the Eight Inner Gates.

According to Kakashi, the Eight Gates were specific chakra points located throughout the body that existed in order to limit the flow of chakra within an individual's body. Ordinarily, individuals can use no more than 20% of their body's full potential, the brain's way of protecting the individual from harming their body through overexertion. With training, individuals can learn to remove these limiters, referred to as "opening" the gates. With each opened gate, individuals are given access to more and more of their body's chakra, thus increasing their physical strength and speed. But the cost for such power was substantial. Using the Eight Gates is a double-edged sword, empowering users by sacrificing their own health and safety. With every subsequent gate opened, the damage inflicted upon the user's body is significantly magnified.

Having opened five gates, which was an incredible feat for someone so young, Lee proceeded to continuously beat on Gaara in mid air with his Reverse Lotus. However, as Gaara fell to the ground, he dispersed his sand gourd as a cushion to break his fall. Gaara then used his Sand Binding Coffin technique to crush Lee's left arm and leg. He would've been killed by Gaara's follow up attack had Might Guy not intervened, which led to his student's disqualification. As the medic-nin moved in to asses the damage, it was revealed that the damage to the Genin's limbs was too severe and he was no longer capable of continuing his career as a ninja.

Naruto had initially written off Lee as some weird kid with bushy eyebrows, but his respect for the boy went up considerably after witnessing his match. He wasn't capable of using Ninjutsu but his taijutsu prowess was leagues above anyone else in their age group. His drive and determination was so great that he even managed to stand back on his feet despite his broken body and losing consciousness. Naruto's eyes fell on the stoic redhead and narrowed. _'So this is the power of the One-Tail...'_

Sasuke too found his gaze trained on the Sand-nin. There were a lot more strong competitors in the exam than he had initially expected. In the match prior, they saw Neji trade blows with his cousin Hinata. The gap in strength was substantial, but the Hyūga heiress refused to back down. He would have executed her had the Jōnins not stepped in. Even if they were part of the same clan, Neji was a member of the branch family and the death of the clan head's daughter at his hand would have brought forth unforeseen consequences. The sound of coughing reached his ears and Sasuke diverted his attention back to the sickly Hayate, who was about to announce the final match. With everyone else having shown their metal, his time had finally come. The board lit up with the names of the final two combatants.

 _Uchiha Sasuke vs Kinuta Dosu_

"Looks like you're up Sasuke. You better not lose. Would be a shame if me and Hime were the only ones to make through to the final," Naruto jeered, causing the Uchiha to scoff.

"Hn. Like hell I would fall behind you two."

"Remember Sasuke, exercise caution," Kakashi advised without even looking up from his book.

"Do your best Sasuke-kun!"

"Yeah, give 'me hell Sasu-chan!" Zero Two smirked, taking pleasure from the raven-haired boy's scowl as he vaulted over the railing.

Sasuke landed without even making a sound and slowly made his way towards the center of the room. His opponent appeared moments later, mirroring his impassive expression. Dosu had bandages covering most of his face, leaving only his left eye uncovered. He wore a large poncho with long sleeves, a snake patterned scarf around his neck, and straw raincoat protruding from the back of his scarf. Attached to his right arm was a large amplifier of sorts. His back was hunched, which made him look smaller than he actually was.

"So you're the infamous Uchiha Sasuke. I must say, I'm not particularly impressed," the Sound-nin taunted, but failing to elicit a response out of the stoic Uchiha.

"If both combatants are ready, we will now start the tenth and final round," Hayate coughed as he lifted his arm into the air. After receiving an affirmative nod from both teens, he brought down his arm to signal the start of the match. "Begin!"

Dosu shot forward immediately, intent on bringing the match to a swift end. "We were ordered to test your skills, but I think I'll just kill you here and now," he smirked as he drew back his right arm. He threw a haymaker at Sasuke's head, but the blow was intercepted by the Uchiha's blade. "That was a mistake. _**Resonating Echo Drill!"**_ The speaker on his arm vibrated as it let out a low, humming sound. Dosu's grinned widened in anticipation as he waited for his attack to take affect. He was able to manipulate sound waves to target his opponents' semicircular canals, throwing them off balance so that they can't stand, move, or fight. Additional side-effects included bleeding ears, distorted vision, and vomiting. And since it was a sound attack, it was impossible to block and he could use the speaker on his gauntlet to further amplify it. But Sasuke showed no signs of being affected, causing the Sound-nin to grow wary.

"Hn. Seems I was right," Sasuke spoke for the first time, sneering at the boy. "After seeing the other two from your team, and accounting for the fact you haul from the Hidden _Sound_ Village, I anticipated you using some sort of sound-based attack. So I took the precaution of using earplugs," he revealed, surprising Dosu. "That speaker on your arm appears to be for use in tandem with whatever jutsu you're trying to cast, and the fact that it's on your arm leads me to believe it's a short-ranged attack," Sasuke analyzed. "The human body is composed of 70% water, which is capable of transmitting sound waves, so it's safe to assume your attack will take affect through physical contact as well."

"I-Impossible..." Dosu stammered. He had yet to reveal any of his abilities to anyone in the exams, and yet the Uchiha managed to decipher them at a mere glance.

The amethyst rib cage of Susano partially materialized at Sasuke's side, alarming everyone in the room. The skeletal arm snatched Dosu off of his feet and began squeezing the life out of him. Dosu struggled to break free, but to no avail. For the first time in years he, found himself gripped with fear. "You tortured my teammate, and unfortunately for you she lived to tell the tale. Your life I now forfeit," Sasuke glared, his Mangekyō glowing with unbridled rage.

"W-wait-"

 _"Burn out!"_

Dosu let out a high-pitched wail as he was engulfed in black fire. The shadowy flames flickered wildly, rapidly consuming the Sound Genin's flesh. Sasuke's Sharingan receded after extinguishing them and he brought up a hand to wipe away the tears of blood leaking from his left eye. It took Hayate a moment to recompose himself. Not only had Dosu's corpse been completely disintegrated, but there wasn't even a trace of ashes left behind. "T-The winner is Uchiha Sasuke." The raven-haired teen resheathed his sword before folding his arms across his chest with a satisfied smirk.

"Alright!"

"Way to go Sasuke-kun!"

"I knew you could do it Sasu-chan!"

Hiruzen chuckled too himself as he watched the young Uchiha's varied reaction to his team's approbations. _'Everyone have come so far,'_ he hummed to himself before taking a drag on his pipe. _'But alas, the time for the final round has finally come!'_

* * *

Surpise! Double upload!

The chapter was up to 11k words by the time I finished so I figured it was best to just split it into two lol


	22. 022

_**022**_

* * *

Naruto frowned as he stared up at his sensei. The silver-haired Jōnin stood before him bearing a sheepish expression as he scratched his head. "No fair Kakashi-sensei!"

"I'm sorry Naruto, but I'm the only one in the entire village that is able to help Sasuke train with his Mangekyō Sharingan. Believe me, I understand how you feel but I can't be two places at once." Kakashi lamented. Technically he could, but the Shadow Clone Jutsu was extremely draining and he didn't have nearly enough chakra to sustain another clone for a whole day.

"Well what the hell are we supposed to do then?" Naruto threw his hands in the air exasperatedly.

"Calm down Naruto," Kakashi ruffled the blond's hair. "You didn't actually think I would leave you high and dry without finding someone else to train you did?"

" _Yes!_ " Naruto shrugged away from his sensei after swatting away his hand. "I would _fully_ expect you to do something like that y'know!" Kakashi clenched his chest as his student's words drove through him like a dull spear.

"You wound me so Naruto..."

"Tch, whatever," Naruto snorted. "Well who the hell is this person and why did you want to meet at the academy?"

"Well actually, Hokage-sama wanted to speak with you. I figured it would best to convene here. After all, he's the one who found a teacher for you," Kakashi replied.

"The Old Man wants to see me?" Naruto interest was piqued. It had taken a long time for his anger to subside. As much as he wanted to hate the Hokage for what he had done to himself and Zero Two, he couldn't. He was acting in what he truly thought to be their best interests. It turned out that he was completely unaffected by Zero Two's bloodline limit, which meant that keeping them apart all this time was meaningless. But in hindsight, that wasn't known at the time and Sarutobi was only able to act on what little information he had at the time. Even if he was known as the God of Shinobi, he was still only human.

"Would it kill you to address the Hokage with proper respect...?"

"Probably. Don't care to find out y'know," Naruto shrugged, earning a sigh from the silver-haired man.

"Well I'll be on my way now."

"Yeah, yeah. Wouldn't want the Leaf's Golden Boy to have a shoddy performance at the finals," Naruto scoffed. Sasuke was his best friend and all, but he still hated how much the villagers sucked up to him because he was the last of his clan. Even the Uchiha himself was annoyed by it.

"You know it's not like that Naruto," Kakashi sighed as he placed a hand on the blond's shoulder. "Trust me when I say this, you'll learn a lot more from this teacher than I could ever teach you. You and Zero Two both. I can't wait to see what kind of spectacle the village's Number One Hyperactive Knucklehead Ninja and the second coming of the Red-Hot Habanero puts on at the finals."

"The Red-Hot what now?" Naruto's head tilted in confusion, eliciting a chuckle from his sensei.

"It's nothing. Now go on, you don't want to keep Hokage-Sam's waiting."

"I guess you're right. No telling how long before the Old Man goes senile y'know. Don't worry Kakashi-sensei. If what you say about this "teacher" true then we won't let you down! I just hope they're not as weird as you," Naruto said as he ascended the staircase leading up to the Hokage's office.

"If only you knew Naruto. If only you knew..." Kakashi laughed before bursting in a cloud of smoke.

* * *

Hiruzen had just finished inscribing his name on a document when the door to his office exploded open, nearly flying off the hinges. The elderly Kage let out a sigh as a figure strode into his office. "Naruto my boy, still as excitable as ever I see."

"You know me!" Naruto chortled. "So what's up Old Man?"

"Ah yes. I wanted to speak with you about this after your return from the Wave mission, but I did not wish to interrupt your training for the Exam. Kakashi tells me that you managed to harness the power of the Nine-Tails. Care to elaborate?"

"I just got my memories back Old Man. I'd rather not lose them again any time soon..." Naruto frowned.

"Worry not Naruto. The cats already out of the bag so just humor this Old Man," Hiruzen offered the boy a sincere smile. He could understand his reluctance.

"Well in that case...I guess you can say that. As long as I maintain control over my emotions I am able to draw out Kurama's chakra with no trouble. But ever since that bastard Orochimaru attacked me I haven't been able to get in touch with him."

"Kurama Huh?" Hiruzen's eyebrow rose. "So you really are able to communicate with the Nine-Tails. And to think it even has a name."

"I've been able to talk to Kurama since I was four. You would know that had you actually asked rather than _erasing my memory of him and Zero Two_ y'know," Naruto replied indignantly.

"You're just going to hold that against me for the rest of my life aren't you?" Hiruzen sighed as he refilled his pipe with more tobacco.

"Damn right!"

"I suppose that's fair. Now what's this about Orochimaru?" The Hokage queried as he drew a long puff on his pipe. He had been right to suspect his former student to make his move, but he hadn't anticipated that he would infiltrate the Exams directly, let alone attack a team of genin. Team Seven was truly lucky to make it through such an ordeal alive and without any grave injuries.

"I don't know exactly, but he did something to me," Naruto's eyebrow furrowed. "The last thing I remember was him punching me in the stomach. His fingers were glowing with this strange purple fire and ever since I haven't been able to get in contact with Kurama."

"I see," Hiruzen blew out a cloud of smoke before rising out of his chair and circling around his desk. "Lift up your shirt for me Naruto and try channeling your chakra." The blond gave the elderly ninja an odd look but complied nonetheless. The Hokage's serious expression told him that this wasn't the time for cheeky remarks. Hiruzen carefully studied the seal that appeared on the blond's navel and his brow furrowed. "Tell me Naruto, how's your chakra control?"

"Worse than ever!" The teen snorted. "I can't even form more than one shadow clone y'know!"

 _'As I suspected. This is the work of the Five Elements Seal,'_ Hiruzen mused. By applying an odd numbered seal over an even one, Orochimaru had succeeded in cutting off Naruto's access to the Nine-Tails chakra and made it difficult to use his own because of the odd-even imbalance. "This might hurt a bit Naruto, but bear with me," Hiruzen said as the fingers on his right hand lit up with chakra.

"Huh? What are-"

 _ **"Five Elements Unseal!"**_

"Gah!"

The Hokage slammed his hand into Naruto's abdomen, forcing a pain cry out of the boy. Naruto stumbled backwards and leveled a glare at his commander. "What the hell!"

"That ought to do it," Hiruzen have a satisfactory nod as he watched crude seal that had been placed over Naruto's own sizzle away. "Okay try now."

 **"Naruto!"**

The blond blink in surprise when the familiar voice returned in his head. _'Kurama! You're back!'_

 **"Where the hell am I going to go you idiot?!"**

Ignoring the fox's snide comment, Naruto channeled his chakra once more and found that his control had returned to normal. "Awesome! I don't know what you did Old Man but I'm as good as new again y'know!"

"That's good to hear. Can't exactly have you compete in the finals which such a handicap," Hiruzen chuckled as he returned to his seat.

"Oh right! Kakashi-sensei said you found someone to train me and Zero Two."

"That I did. He's a bit on the...eccentric side, but he's an accomplished teacher. After all, he trained the Fourth Hokage," the Hokage grinned.

"Whoa Dad's teacher!" Naruto exclaimed.

Hiruzen could only stare in shock at the blond. "Naruto...how do you..."

"Kurama told me. I also know that mom was his previous Jinchuriki." The blond responded casually. The old fox had informed him of his heritage a few weeks ago and he had since come to terms with it. He wasn't exactly thrilled at first to find out that his own father had sealed the beast within him and was directly responsible for this troubled life. But he understood that if sealing Kurama away inside of an infant was truly the only way to stop him at the time, then how could he ask something of another parent that he wasn't willing to do himself. It also helped that Kurama had shown him the memory of his parent's final words to him before their passing. They had placed all of their faith in him that he would be able to tame the Nine-Tails and use his power to protect the village. Unfortunately it was too late for that. Kurama had at least become his greatest friend and until he found away to set him free, he would use his power to protect the most precious people in his life and escape the chains that binded him to this forsaken village.

A tired sigh escaped the Hokage as he expelled another plume of smoke. "You know, your father made a great number of enemies, both foreign and domestic, for his actions during the Third World War. That's why I gave you your mother's surname. I had made the decision to tell you once you made Chūnin, but it seems someone else beat me to it. I hope you can understand your parent's decision Naruto. Minato and Kushina didn't abandon you. They truly loved you until the end very."

"I do to a certain extent. It was an impossible situation after all. There's no telling what would have happened if Kurama's rampage went unchecked. I still kind of hate dad for what he did to me y'know. But if he hadn't sealed Kurama in me, then I wouldn't have made such a great friend. I also wouldn't have run away all those years ago and met Zero Two. It's really hard to imagine life without her at this point y'know," Naruto chuckled as he thought of the pink-haired beauty. "So I guess I'm a little grateful too. Just wish I could have a chance to speak to them both. Hear their words and reasoning for myself y'know. That would make this significantly easier to digest."

A small smile settled onto the aging Kage's features as he listened to the blond words. The Naruto standing before him now was steadily growing by leaps and bounds, becoming a more homologous reflection of his parents with each passing day. "You are certainly your father's son," Hiruzen couldn't help but chuckle. "Though I definitely see more resound shadows of Kushina in you more than anything."

"Kurama told me the same thing," Naruto scratched his head with a sheep laugh. What he wouldn't give to meet his mother just once. Hiruzen popped open a drawer in his desk and retrieved a small frame and smiled fondly at it.

"After all the hustle and bustle of the Exams dies down, we can sit down one day and I'll tell you all about them. It's the least I could do. But for now, I think you should have this," he said before offering it to the blond.

"I'd really like that," Naruto said as he accepted picture. There were two people, one of which he recognized immediately. His father, Namikaze Minato, stood proudly in his Hokage robe as he smiled at the camera. Sitting next to him was a fair-skinned woman with vibrant violet eyes. Her long red hair, which seemed to reach all the way down to her ankles, had shoulder-length strands that framed both sides of her face and a black clip that parted her hair to the left. She was dressed in a modest white high collar shirt and green dress along with black sandals. She had a big toothy grin that reminded him of his own. This was his mother, Uzumaki Kushina, and she was absolutely spellbinding.

"Now then," Hiruzen clapped, disrupting the blond's train of thought. "About the...complications with your training arrangements."

"Kakashi-sensei ditched us to train Sasuke," Naruto spat with a roll of his eyes.

"Now, now, as decorated of a shinobi Kakashi is, even he can't be in two places at once. The others are lucky enough to train with their family, but you three have no such luxury. Now I can agree with Kakashi's reasoning. There isn't anyone else in Village better equipped to help Sasuke-kun train with his Sharingan."

"Yeah, yeah-"

"But in regards to you, the same could be said about your father's sensei my boy."

"That means he must know all kinds of bad ass jutsu right? Right?!" Naruto exclaimed as he slammed a hand down on the Hokage's desk.

Hiruzen sensed his ANBU guard's subtle reaction to the teen's excitement and brought up a hand to assure them everything was in order. "Yes Naruto. His name is Jiraiya and he is one of the legendary Sannin. He's also your godfather."

"Godfather?" Naruto recoiled at the word.

"Yes, and as the only remaining family-"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa Old Man," Naruto brought up a hand to silence the Kage. "Don't get me wrong, I happy for the photo of my parents and all," Naruto spared a glance at the picture and a fond smile found its way to his features. And it was immediately soured by a feral scowl. "But Zero Two is the only family I have left."

"Now Naruto-"

"No, I don't want to hear it," Naruto interrupted once more before letting out a sudden sneeze. _'Odd...someone must be talking about me right now...'_ he mused. "Look, I'm sure he had his reasons or whatever, but I've never once heard from this "Godfather" in my entire life."

"That's...a fair point Naruto. Jiraiya is the village's best by and the one person I trust the most. He's been away from the village all this time at my behest, but he finally returned after you were born. He attempted to take you away with him, but the council wouldn't allow it. I didn't inform you of him for the same reason I kept your parents a secret. But I can not speak for his actions since," Hiruzen informed him. Jiraiya always made it a point to inquire about the latest ongoings of Naruto's life whenever he did return to the village, but he could never find the resolve to introduce himself to the boy. And there was no time like the present. "I understand you might have your reservations Naruto. Jiraiya might not be the most ideal godfather, but he is a damn good teacher. It would be unwise to let such an opportunity pass you by."

"Oh no, I'll train with him. It's not like I have many options right now anyway," Naruto shrugged. He wasn't against studying under this man, especially if he truly did train his father. But he absolutely refused to acknowledge him as family.

"I'm glad to hear it," Hiruzen smiled at the blond. "If I know Jiraiya, and regretfully I do, he should be at the hot springs right about now."

"The hot springs?" Naruto's head tilted in confusion. While it wasn't uncommon to see people headed to the hot springs for an early morning dip, it was usually women. "The hell is he doing there? It's not even noon yet."

"Uh...research."

"Re...search...?"

"Research..."

Both men were held hostage by the awkward silence that permeated the room. Naruto wasn't sure why, or where it came from, but he was suddenly starting to have a bad feeling about this arrangement.

* * *

Kakashi landed with a sigh and stuffed his hand into his pockets as he fell victim to a weary yawn. The Chūnin Exams were leaving him drained, and he wasn't even a participant this time around. Orochimaru had appeared, and attacked his team no less. Between the last living Uchiha, the jinchuriki of the Nine Tails, and the only known human-klaxosaur hybrid in existence, the are a number of reasons why his team had been targeted and all of them put the ashen-haired Jonin on edge.

Naruto being the jinchuriki of the Nine-Tails alone was more that enough reason to target the Uzumaki. The power of Tailed Beasts was unrivaled. Sasuke was one of three known people alive with a Sharingan. He remembered coming across a report during his ANBU days expressing the Sannin's wish to acquire one in order advance his research. And given how scientifically inclined the man is, Zero Two was like a walking treasure trove of research. Kakashi sighed again as he walked. He had really hoped that maybe the Hokage was just being paranoid about his former student turning up. But the snake man had made his move, yet his motives remained unclear. One thing he knew for certain though was that if he attacked his students once, there was a good chance he would do so again. Kakashi had this unnerving sense of foreboding about the upcoming finals, which meant he had to do everything thing in his power to help his student grow stronger for the upcoming battle. So for now, he would trust the Hokage's judgement to leave Naruto and Zero Two in Jiraiya's hands while he trained Sasuke.

Kakashi came to a halt atop a rocky hill and spotted the boy in question at the bottom. He was gracefully progressing through a series of katas with his sword. Sasuke must have sensed his approach and looked up in surprise to see the cyclops Jōnin. "Yo!" Kakashi waved.

"Odd...I wasn't expecting to see you for another two hours Kakashi-sensei." Sasuke eyed him suspiciously.

"Contrary to what all of you may believe, I am capable of being on time if I so choose," Kakashi chuckled, earning a snort from the teen. "Besides, theres something I want to talk with you about before we start your training."

"What could be so important that-"

"It's about Itachi."

Sasuke fell silent at the mention of his brother. Kakashi had divulged to him some time ago that he was Itachi's team captain when he first entered the ANBU. His older brother was normally quiet and reserved, only speaking when spoken to or when communication was absolutely necessary for the success of a mission. But Kakashi had taken it upon himself to establish an actual sense of camaraderie with the stoic prodigy, a concept that was lost on most of the special forces members back then. When he really thought about it, Sasuke could briefly recall a person that was very reminiscent of his sensei appearing at the compound a few times after Itachi returned from a mission. Other than Kakashi, the only other people he would even remotely consider friends of his brother was his classmate and fellow clansman Izumi and their older cousin Shisui.

Seeing that he now had the young avenger's attention, Kakashi continued on. "Before your brother passed, Itachi told that if anything ever happened to him, he wanted me to take these and hold onto them for safe keeping," he said before reaching for his pouch. Sasuke was alarmed when he retrieved a small jar. Inside there was a pair of dull, lifeless eyes floating around in a strange liquid. "These are your brother's eyes Sasuke."

"Why the hell do you have them?!" Sasuke growled as he reached for his sword.

"After your brother died, a scroll was dropped off to me by a crow. Given how it immediately dispersed afterwards, I can only assume it was some kind of technique that activated upon his death. Written inside that scroll was detailed information about the Mangekyō Sharingan."

"Why would my brother give his eyes to you? Just because you have a Sharingan, it doesn't make you an Uchiha! What could you possibly learn from that?!" Sasuke barked.

"Oh Sasuke," Kakashi shook his head with a sigh as he lifted his headband. The eye hidden beneath snapped open to reveal a abstract pinwheel pattern. "I learned quite a bit."

"B-But...how?"

"You see, much like the regular Sharingan, you don't have to be an Uchiha to utilize the Mangekyō. Even with a transplanted Sharingan, one still has the potential to awaken it. Though, it doesn't still retain the original debilitating chakra drain of a normal Sharingan, but it is much more severe. I nearly died from chakra exhaustion once trying to figure out how this thing works," Kakashi laughed sheepishly as he gestured to the kaleidoscope eye.

"Why are you telling me this? And what does it have to do with you taking my brother's eyes?" Sasuke spat. He was beginning to grow annoyed with the silver-haired man.

"Ah yes, as I'm sure you are aware, the Mangekyō is awakened due to the extreme mental stress of witnessing the death of a precious person. But this fact has been widely misconstrued by the Uchiha, who believe that they themselves needed to be responsible said person's death. But as you can see how yours awakened after Naruto "died", that's not the case." Kakashi explained. "But there's another secret of the Mangekyō that had gone undiscovered by the Uchiha even to this day."

"What are you getting at?"

"It was widely known that over usage of the Mangekyō can inflict immense strain on the user, enough to cause agonizing pain throughout one's body and eventually leaving them permanently blind. But there is in fact a way to restore one's sight," Kakashi said as he held out the jar. It didn't take long for the young Uchiha to catch on to what his sensei was proposing.

"You can't be serious..."

"By transplanting the Mangekyō of someone with strong blood ties, one is able to awaken the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan. Not only does one have their vision restored, they retain the original techniques granted by their own eyes and are able to utilize the ones imbued within the transplanted ones. This is the reason why Itachi wanted me to take his eyes. I don't know exactly how, or when your brother awakened his Mangekyō before his death, but he has entrusted his eyes to you. He said I would know when the time was right, and I can't think of a better time than now."

Sasuke was still in shocked by the revelation. _'Itachi had a Mangekyō too. And now...'_

Kakashi stayed silent as he observed his charge process the new information that had been presented to him. It was a lot to take in after all. "If you need some time to think about it I under-"

"I'll do it."

"Eh?"

Kakashi blinked and his head swiveled to spot Sasuke staring at the jar with a fiery look of determination burning in his eyes. "I'll take Itachi's eyes as my own and grow stronger. With our combined power, I will finally track down the person responsible for that night and deliver their corpse to the Shinigami myself!"

Kakashi only stared at his charge with a blank expression. If anything, the boy was certainly fired up about it. So much so that he didn't think Sasuke even realize that his Mangekyō was active and Susano has materialized behind him. "Er...right then. Just know that if you go through with this, it'll take two weeks to fully heal and for your new eyes to get acclimated, effectively cutting your time for training in half." He advised.

"Fine by me. The sooner the better," Sasuke said as he regained his composure and deactivated his Sharingan. The significant boost in strength would more than make up for the lost time.

"In that case, there's an operation room already on standby. The only people that know of surgery are myself, Hokage-sama, and Yūgao-san, who will be performing the operation. Though not a traditional medic-nin, she has the most experience in combat medicine of any ANBU and is confident she can complete the task at hand." Kakashi informed him. What he didn't tell the boy was that this was being done for his protection. As much as he despised the clan, Danzō was fascinated with the Uchiha's bloodline limit. There's even rumors that he's been collecting Sharingan over the last decade. Given how prodigal Itachi was before he passed, he wasn't going to take the chance of the old War Hawk taking the eyes as his own. It was for that reason that the surgery would be done in the same bunker that was used for Naruto's birth. It was a secure location that had remained hidden for years, with the only living person to know of its whereabouts being the Hokage himself.

"Tch, whatever, let's just get on with it already," Sasuke grunted.

"Someone certainly is eager to play with their new toy. Patience is a virtue you know Sasuke."

"Hn!"

* * *

"Stop squirming Zero Two!"

"W-Watch your hands Piggy!"

"Stop calling me that already! My name is Ino!"

"Eh...you get used to it," Sakura laughed dryly with a shrug as she watched the blonde struggle. With all of the excitement of the Exams and the preliminaries finally starting to wind down, Sakura thought it would be a good idea for them all to get together for some quality girl time. This was the perfect chance before everyone threw themselves headfirst into training for the finals. And what better place than the hot springs.

"S-Shouldn't we stop them?" Hinata asked timidly.

Sakura let out a sigh as she adjusted her arm. Ino, out of the "kindness of her heart", offered to wash Zero Two's hair, to which the rosette reluctantly agreed, much to Sakura's surprise. Her fellow pink-haired companion was normally apathetic and disinterested whenever she drug her along to hang out with the other girls, a feat that was only feasible thanks to Naruto. Even he recognized it would do Zero Two some good to mingle with other members of her gender. It had taken some time, but Zero Two was finally starting to come around. The rosette wasn't exactly big on physical contact, unless of course it was Naruto. But the fact that she was letting Ino of all people wash her hair spoke volumes. Unfortunately, the blonde could be just as brash as the brazen rosette.

"You're going to get soap in your eyes if you don't stop moving so much!" Ino barked.

"Well you're man handling my head like I'm some fucking doll!" Zero Two snapped.

"Well you should try actually washing your hair for once!

"I wet it in the shower! That's more than enough y'know!"

"No it's not!"

Sakura couldn't help but giggle at their squabbling. "Ino has a point Zero Two. Your hair is quite lovely if I do say so myself and you should try taking better care of it. I'm sure Naruto would love it even more."

"Darling loves me just the way I am," Zero Two pouted a she folded her arms over her chest. She honestly didn't understand while they were all so caught up with these girly things. If they put nearly as much effort into training as they did cosmetics then they be far more formidable kunoichi.

"Yeah well, your hair is way too greasy and don't even get me started on the split ends," Ino grunted as she untangled a few strands that were wrapped around one of Zero Two's horns. "But by the time I'm done with it, you'll have even more volume and a luster that'll put a mirror to shame. That dork won't even be able to take his eyes off of you."

"You really think so...?" Zero Two inquired meekly. As vain as she thought both girls to be, she couldn't help but think there might be some truth to their words at times. Hell, even Yūgao dolled herself up sometimes when she went on dates with Hayate, and he was left stunned every time. Sure Naruto told her all the time how beautiful she was, but she hadn't gotten a reaction like that out of him ever since that day he found her swimming in the river.

"I know so! Boys are simple. They'll drool over anything that's pretty."

"Or shiny."

"I see." Zero Two mused. Maybe this girly stuff had some merit to it after all. Trying it just one time couldn't hurt. Right...? "Fine, I'll leave you to it then.." Sakura blinked in surprise at her teammate's response while Ino let out an excited squeal.

"Leave it to me girl! Naruto will be drooling all over you next time you see him."

"He already does," Zero Two smirked.

"Actually, I'm pretty sure that yo-"

"Can it Pinky!" Zero Two snapped as her face slowly turning the same shade of her, eliciting a hearty laugh out of Sakura. She brandished her claw-like nails and waved them frivolously in the pinkette's direction, but she was just of reach.

"Y-You seem pretty close with N-Naruto-kun," Hinata spoke up. "How long have you two known each other?" She flinched under the stern glare thrown her way by the avaricious rosette, but Zero Two's expression suddenly softened with a sigh. She knew in her heart that the Hyūga was completely harmless. She didn't have to worry about the reticent girl trying to steal away her beloved when she couldn't even work up the courage to even talk to him. But she would never be okay with other girls referring to him in such an affectionate manner.

"I first met Darling a decade ago. Winter came early that year and the entire village was blanketed with snow, which made escaping incredibly difficult."

"Whoa escape?" Ino exclaimed as she began to lather up some more shampoo in her hands. "You mean like, you guys ran away from the village?"

"You could say that. Darling was actually the one trying to get away, but he went out of his way to save me from this creep. I couldn't really speak well at the time, yet he somehow understood me. He asked me if I wanted to go with him. I didn't have a family to return to or anywhere else to go really, and Darling was the first person to show me true kindness. So without even a second thought, I tagged along and thus began our grand adventure."

"So love at first sight? Oh my god that is so adorable!" Ino chirped. "I've heard the whole _"childhood friends become lovers"_ story a thousand times, but this one takes the cake!"

Zero Two shook her head with a gentle chuckle before continuing on. "It was fun while it lasted. But unfortunately the ANBU managed to track us down and we got caught in the middle of a fight that broke out between them and a group of Stone shinobi that we're hiding in the area. Darling...he risked his life trying to protect me and got hurt really bad. He even lost his memories of me because of it. After that, we were drug back to the village." Sakura listened on in silence as her friend opened up. Having known just how tragic their story truly was made her heart clenched. But Naruto and Zero Two aren't hung up on the past at all. They were just happy to have found one another again, and she could be more happy for them.

"I guess that explains why Naruto never talked about you while we were at the academy, given how loud and obnoxious he is. It really came as a surprise to us all that first day you show up," Ino laughed. "But I'm surprised you of all people didn't announce yourself sooner. I mean why'd you stay away for so long? And why would Hokage-sama send the ANBU after Naruto? I mean I know they're kind of close and all, but jeez!"

"It's...complicated," Zero Two mumbled with a heavy sigh. She was starting to get flashbacks of the incident and the agonizing years that followed after, which was the last thing she wanted to think about.

"But you have each other now, and that's what's important right?" Hinata asked.

Viridian orbs flickered in the heiress's direction and caught sight of her warm smile. There wasn't even the slightest trace of deception in those pale silvery eyes, instead only a reflection of warmth and genuine elation that made the rosette falter under their gaze. It was one of those looks a mother would give their child and it invoked a strange and unfamiliar emotion within Zero Two. Perhaps the Hyūga wasn't so bad after all. "Exactly. And that's all that matters." She grinned.

"Ugh, you're so lucky," Ino let out a frustrated growl. "I mean even if it is Naruto, you at least have a boyfriend."

"Watch yourself Piggy..."

"What? It's not like the village is exactly swimming with cute boys you know! Well except Sasuke~kun!"

"I think I'm gonna be sick..." Zero Two paled. She soon found herself drenched with water and threw a glare over her shoulder to see a vindictive Ino setting aside a small bucket.

"Say what you want, but Sasuke is an absolute dreamboat and an amazing shinobi to boot."

"That doesn't change the fact that Pretty Boy has a shitty attitude," Zero Two shot back. Though to be fair, Sasuke wasn't nearly as stuck up and self centered as he used to be. Ever since he befriended Naruto, the Uchiha had started to lighten up more. "Besides, it doesn't matter what you may think about him. Pretty Boy doesn't have a tail so my Darling automatically has him beat y'know!"

"Now you're just rubbing it in!" Ino pouted, causing Zero Two to let out an obnoxious laugh.

"You're just jealous I have my own personal furry."

"Doesn't Naruto hate it when you call him that?" Sakura asked with a blank stare.

"What Darling doesn't know won't hurt him~!"

"Oi!"

The girls flinched at the sudden shout and four pairs of eyes found their way to the outer fence of the bath. "Was...was that Naruto?!" Sakura blinked.

"There's no way..." Ino stared in shock.

A wide grin split Zero Two's face as she jumped to her feet. She didn't sense him approaching, but there was no mistaking it. His chakra signature drew her in like a moth to a flame. "Only one way to find out!"

* * *

In the upper branches of the cherry blossom tree overlooking the bath area, there was a figure hidden away behind the leaves. "I'm so glad I set my alarm this morning. This is prime research data that's ripe for the picking~!" Jiraiya giggled as he frivolously scribbled away on his notepad. If he could find another cache like this one then he would be able to finish his next book in no time. He had quickly taken notice of the group of young girls bathing, and as beautiful as they were, his attention was focused on the older teens and young women that populated the bath. He might be perverted, but even he had standards. But unbeknownst to the Toad Sage, he wasn't quite as well hidden as he thought he was.

Naruto stood at the base of the tree staring up at the Sannin with a blank expression as he recalled the brief description of his godfather that the Hokage has given him. 'Old guy, long spiky white hair, red haori.' He let out another unsettling giggle, causing the blond to fault. "Oi!"

Jiraiya was jolted by the sudden cry and accidentally dropped his notebook. He instinctively dove after it, only to crash face first into the ground. Naruto stared down at his disheveled form with a distasteful glower. 'Is this guy really one of the legendary Sannin...?'

Jiraiya was quick to bounce back to his feet and dusted himself off before throwing a glare in the blond's direction. But irritation quickly subsided when he noticed exactly who was standing before him. "What gives you brat?! I was in the middle of some very important research!" He snapped, trying his best to play it cool whilst still maintaining an aura of annoyance.

"Research?" Naruto snorted. "How does peeping on the girl's bath count as "research"? You just a pervert."

"Oi! Jiraiya the Gallant, Toad Sage of Mt. Myōboku, is _not_ a pervert!" Jiraiya quickly rebutted as if he were offended by the mere accusation. "I'm a _super_ pervert!"

"..."

"..."

 _'There is absolutely no way in hell this gu-'_

"HI DARLING~!"

Naruto blinked and turned to spot a familiar face. Zero Two's head was peaking out from behind the fence and she was waving at him empathetically. "Oh, hey Hime," Naruto returned the gesture with a warm smile. Confusion began to set on the blond's features when he saw Sakura, Ino, and even Hinata pop up next to his beloved. "Uh...what are you guys doing here?"

"What does it look like we're doing you dork?" Ino snorted.

"Fair point i suppose," Naruto chuckled.

"What about you Darling? I thought you were meeting with the geezer?" Zero Two queried, staring fondly at the blond. She could admit that she was enjoying spending time with Sakura and the others, but she couldn't help but feel elated at the sight of her Darling. She had just seen him an hour ago when he let Sakura basically kidnap her, but to her it felt like ages since she had last seen her precious reynard. "If you're done then you should come join us~!"

"Maybe next time Hime," Naruto waved off her invitation as he kept his eyes trained on Jiraiya. "The Old Man said my godfather would be able to help us with our training for the finals, but it turns out he's just a filthy pervert," Naruto scoffed.

"I told you already I'm not a pervert! I'm-" Jiraiya's words we're caught in his throat when he finally processed the boy's words.

All four girls bore varying looks of confusion as they glanced between Naruto and the elderly shinobi. "Godfather?!" They chorused.

Jiraiya merely stared at the blond in disbelief. His mouth suddenly went dry and he could feel his hands clamming up as he began to sweat. "N-Naruto...how could you possibly..."

After noticing how the Sannin was incapable of finishing his sentence, Naruto lifted a hand to silence him as he shoved the other in his pocket. "The Old Man told me. After seeing you, I really didn't want to believe it y'know. But seeing as you knew my name before I even introduced myself, I guess it must be true."

The quartet of maidens continued to glance between the two males as yet another awkward silence began to set in. Jiraiya was at a loss for words. This was not at all how he thought the first meeting with his godchild would go. _'Damn it Sarutobi-sensei! You planned this didn't you?!'_ The Toad Sage cursed his teacher. "Naruto...listen-"

"Nope, don't care to hear it," The blond brushed him off carelessly. "You weren't there for me then, and that's fine and all or whatever, but don't try to be here for me now. Zero Two is all the family I have now, and she's all I need. The Old Man said you would to be able to help us get stronger, and that's all I care about." Both Sakura and Ino let out excited squeals at his words, while Zero Two had the decency to actually look embarrassed.

"Alright Naruto. You've made your point," Jiraiya relented. It's not that he was against seeing Naruto. After being denied by the council all those years ago to take the boy away, he just...shut down. At the time, and even still to this day, he had never come to terms with Minato's and Kushina's deaths. To think they entrusted him with looking after the one legacy that they left behind in this world, and he failed them. "So The Old Man sent you to me for training huh? I suppose I have some free time on my hands."

"Gee, how _benevolent_ of you," Naruto rolled his eyes.

"Wait what's happening here Darling?" Zero Two inquired as she glanced between the two men.

"Pervy Sage here is going to train us. If he can actually manage to honor that promise that is. He's zero for one as far as I'm concerned," Naruto snorted.

"What'd you call me you little brat?" Jiraiya snapped at the blond, eyebrow twitching in irritation.

"Well you said you were a sage. But all I see is an old pervert. So, Pervy Sage," Naruto shrugged.

 _'Cheeky little brat. He's definitely got Kushina's blood running through his veins,'_ Jiraiya smiled at the thought. "Oh I'll show you _old_ boy! You want to be trained? So be it! Let's see if you can actually keep up. Meet me at Training Ground Six in fifteen minutes." Jiraiya matched Naruto's glare with a smirk of his own before disappearing in a cloud of smoke.

"So...that geezer was your godfather?" Zero Two asked.

"Apparently." Naruto let out a sigh.

"And you're gonna go beat him up now?" She queried, earning a grin from the blond.

"Something like that I guess."

"I'll be right out then~!"

"Huh?"

Before Naruto or any of the other girls could respond, Zero Two took off in a flash, jovially skipping across the the water as she made her way to the bathhouse.

"That girl really is something else..." Sakura sighed.

"I'll say, she ditched us for a boy the first chance she got," Ino scowled as she threw an annoyed glower in her fellow blond's direction. "You ruined our girls day out Naruto!" The jinchūriki took a step back from the fence as he brought up his hands defensively.

"You say that like I planned this! How I was supposed to know you guys were here?!"

"I mean...you and Zero Two's ability to track down each other is quite uncanny, especially on her end," Sakura interjected. "I suppose it was a matter of time before she ditched us to go find him anyway."

"What can I say?" Naruto chuckled sheepishly as he scratched his head. "She just can't get enough of me I guess."

"Don't kid yourself furball!" Ino snorted, knocking the boy down a few pegs. "It's probably just that stupid tail of yours!"

"You very well may have a point there..."

* * *

And that's it for this chapter. I had considered writing more and then splitting the chapter, but the last time I did a double upload didn't go over so well so never again lol. This was supposed to be the only filler chapter between the prelims and the finals but I really want to do a fight between Naruto and Zero Two and I think their initial interaction with Jiraiya deserves more attention than simply being glossed over by a time skip. But we are finally at the point where the main characters begin to put the immense powers they gained early on to practical use. I'd say there's only...five chapters left in the story. Maybe.

I've been thinking of just keeping it all in one story rather than putting part 2 in it's own, but I'm still uncertain. I honestly still haven't fleshed out the plot of the second half as much. It's like...having a burger with all the condiments and toppings you could ask for, but no patty. Anyway, the plan for sure is to have part one finished by the end of this year. I _finally_ start working next week (hopefully...) so I'll have less time on my hands. Adult responsibilities and what not.

Lastly, Uh if you guys have a question, just PM me rather than leaving a guest review. I can't exactly respond to those...


	23. 023

023

* * *

"Alright, I want you two to spar."

"Wait what?" Naruto blinked, staring at the older man In confusion.

"You know, fight, come to blows, beat the snot out of each other," Jiraiya replied evenly.

"I know what sparring is," Naruto snorted. "But why do Zero Two and I have to fight each other?"

"How else would I be able to determine where to start with your training? I need to know your full capabilities, so don't be afraid to go all out. I'll step in once I've seen all I need to see," The Toad Sage spoke plainly. Naruto was about to object until he felt a hand on his shoulder. He glanced behind him to see Zero Two grinning at him.

"What's wrong Darling, scared of little ole' me? Don't worry, I don't bite~!"

"Yes you do!"

"Oh come on Darling~!" The rosette whined. "It'll be fun. I haven't been able to cut loose for a while now. That sound scum from the prelims wasn't even a good warm-up." Naruto sighed as the sprightly girl bounced back and forth on her heels, practically vibrating with excitement.

"Fine," Naruto finally relented, ignoring his beloved's jubilant cry as he threw and annoyed glower in her direction. "But I'm not falling for any of your cheap tricks this time y'know!"

"All's fair in love and war y'know...Darling~!"

"Yeah well, let's see you sing that same tune when I have you begging for mercy."

"Ooo, that almost sounded like a threat y'know~!

"It's a promise y'know!"

'Dear god...it's like watching two Kushinas go at it.' Jiraiya shuttered. "Alright, alright, save it for the battlefield. And try not to kill each other."

"No promises," the two teens chorused as they stared each other down with matching cocksure grins.

"Fine, whatever. Have at it," Jiraiya waved dismissively as he retreated to a safer distance. 'Okay...let's see just how strong you two are.'

"Neh Darling," Zero Two called our as she finished the last of her stretches, drawing the blond's skeptical gaze. "You're taking me out for dango later after I kick your butt, you know that right?"

"Oh? Someone sure is full of themselves," Naruto rolled his eyes before shrugging off the stiffness in his shoulders.

"Ara Ara~!" Zero Two smirked as she craned her neck. "Last time I check, the score was 63-57 in my favor was it not?"

"Oi! 13 of those wins are because cheated and you kn-"

"Neh Darling...your guard is down y'know~!"

The startled blond didn't even register the sultry whisper echoing throughout his head, let alone stand a chance of evading the lithe appendage barreling towards his face a mere 3 centimeters away. Zero Two's knee crashed into Naruto's face with astute precision, causing the normally sturdy teen to stumble backwards. Without missing a beat, the rosette coiled around her beloved's torso and shifted her weight to slam him into the ground.

"Pinned ya!"

"A cheap shot..." Naruto wheezed as he struggled to draw breath. Zero Two was too preoccupied drowning in her own self praises and was left quite surprised when her blond-haired foundation collapsed beneath her in a plume of smoke. "Eh?!"

She felt a firm grip take hold on her ankle as a chilling chuckle crept into the air. "I expected as much out of you," Naruto scoffed before snatching his mate into the air.

"Oh my~!"

"Now to show you why they call me Uzumaki!"

Naruto suddenly began gyrating in place, picking up speed with each rotation as he flailed a helpless Zero Two about like a rag doll. 'This is getting fun Darling~!' the rosette purred as she directed chakra towards her hands. She slammed her fists into the ground, bringing thier vortex-like spinning to a grinding halt.

Naruto was left dumbfounded by his girlfriend's tenacity, and thus was unsuspecting of the foot that slapped him across the face. He was forced to relinquish his hold of Zero Two's other foot, who was quick to capitalize on the blond's stunned state. She pulled her hands out of the ground before using them as a pivot to sweep her legs underneath Naruto, knocking him off of his own. His face planted into the ground with a dull thud, accompanied by a pain groan. He felt a weight land on his and had to strain his neck to glance over his shoulder. Zero Two was sitting in a low crouch, much like that of a fox, and bearing down on him with a cheshire-like grin.

"Pinned ya again~!"

Naruto was uncharacteristically silent and continued to remain so as Zero Two giggled impishly at yet another small victory. Her chipper demeanor shattered when she felt a strong pulse of chakra, spurring the rosette to quickly vault away. She slid to stop a few meters away from the blond, an astonished expression etched across her features. 'That...killing intent just now...'

"Neh Hime...I guess I haven't really been fair huh?" Naruto spoke shakily, slowly pushing himself to his feet. "Here you are giving me your all, and I'm still holding back, which isn't fair to you y'know. For that, I am sorry Hime," Naruto offered a sincere smile. Never once in the myriad of times that he has sparred with his erratic mate had he ever used his full strength against her. It was mostly subconscious, yet he could never bring himself to oppose. The mere thought of him harming his beloved, accidentally or not, made the blood in his veins freeze. He wouldn't even be able to live with himself.

But he was now starting to realize that he may have been doing more harm than good. They promised to get stronger together so that they could finally leave this forsaken village and Zero Two was certainly giving it her all. She found the thrill of battle intoxicating, and to not come at her with his full strength was the most disrespectful and unforgivable thing he could possibly do. And he'd eaten her entire stash of dango once while she was in the shower purely out of spite. "You're strong Hime. And as much as I love you, I think you're starting to get a little too full of yourself." The air around Naruto seemingly dropped a few degrees as he rose to his full height. A flash of vermillion streamed through his eyes and another burst of chakra shook the earth. "Allow me to remind you which one of us is the Alpha."

"OH~?!" Zero Two beamed, jade eyes vibrating with excitement. "Finally! I've been waiting for this Darling~!" Kurama's chakra bled into her system, staining both her eyes ominous shade of crimson. "How I've longed for this moment! Come at me Darling~!"

Naruto met the rosette's lustful gaze with a flinty one of his own. "Don't worry Hime. I'll carve my love into your very flesh."

"I love it when you talk dirty to me~!"

* * *

Jiraiya could only blankly at the sight before him. Then again, there wasn't much to see considering he was having a hard time keeping up with the duo's movements. He wasn't sure what words were exchanged between the two, but The both of them were now channeling chakra from the Nine-Tails. 'Reading the Old Man's report is one thing, but to actually see it in action is astounding. To think she is actually capable of not only siphoning the chakra of a Tailed Beast, but also able to wield it as her own. You certainly are a terrifying creature Zero Two.'The lines on the elderly Sage's face extended further down to his chin and his nose grew slightly as he began tapping into the natural energy around him. With this, he would be able to better follow the ensuing spar. 'Feels like we're only scratching the surface right now. Now, show me what you two can really do.'

* * *

Naruto and Zero Two went at each other like bloodthirsty demons, clashing repeatedly as they blurred in and out of sight. Zero Two in particular was enjoying herself. 'Amazing! It's like Darling turned into an entirely different person!' She had spent weeks now trying to get him to drop his whole chivalrous act. She had watched him train with Sasuke many a times and he never came at her with the same intensity that he did the Uchiha. Until now that is. Naruto was the most resilient person she knew, but even he would crack if you pressed the right buttons long enough. And she was all too familiar with said buttons.

She deflected a hook aimed at her temple and took a quick advancing step into Naruto's guard, surprising the blond with quick elbow strike to the nose. "Come on Darling, I thought you were gonna punish me? I've been a bad girl after all~!" Naruto only responded by throwing his arms around her, trapping the rosette in a tight bear hug. "Kinky~!" Zero Two purred. "But now isn't the time to get all fris-"

"Secret Sword."

'Shit!'

"Moonlight!"

Employing a similar tactic he'd seen Zabuza use on Kakashi, Naruto used a shadow clone as a decoy and tore through it with his sword to land a decisive strike on the unsuspecting Zero Two. The rosette was sent careening from the blow and skipped across the dirt before skidding to a halt.

"Oi, Oi! What's the big idea Darling?" Zero Two spoke blankly with an inkling of annoyance in her tone. "Using the back of the blade are we?"

"That was merely a demonstration Hime," Naruto said cooly as he settled into a Ko Gasumi No Kamae stance. "Come. It seems you still require instruction."

Contrary to her standoffish tone, Zero Two was still feeling the effects of his previous attack. 'Darling is definitely striking with more force than usual, and his speed is nothing like it was before. This is your true power huh Darling? How adorable!'

"Guess that means I'll have to get serious too then. Dragon Vein!" Crimson chakra exploded to life around the rosette like a column of fire. Her horns had an eerie vermillion glow that dyed her hair a vibrant shade of carmine. Naruto merely scoffed at the exorbitant display. 'You see this Kurama? Using your chakra against me of all people.'

"Tch...the audacity of your mate I swear."

'It one of the things I love most about her honestly. But now its time to put her in her place.'

"That is literally the best idea you've had all year."

'Give it a rest already.'

"Argentea!" Zero Two's chakra spiked once more as fire danced around her forearms. The flames dispersed to reveal the sleek black metal of her claws. "Now the fun begins! Let's dance Darling~!"

Crimson chakra bubbled out of Naruto's pores and quickly took on the form of a fox that enveloped his entire frame. "Yes, let's."

The ground beneath their feet shattered before the duo disappeared in a flash. Their physical forms seemed to fade away, reconstructed into dazzling crimson streaks that cavorted with one another and gave birth to spectacle of sparks that illuminated the field. Zero Two assaulted her beloved from every angle imaginable, her eyes diligently studying his every move and watching for the slightest slip in his defenses. But Naruto remained steadfast and unwavering against the rosette's barrage. 'Darling sure is one tough cookie I'll give him that. Damn, maybe I shouldn't have ask Yūgao to train him. She's gone and corrupted my cute little furry.'

Naruto's aptitude for growth was absolutely staggering, and the last 3 months were a glaring indication of it. He might come off as aloof, dense, and even a bit of an idiot at times, but he had an instinctive knack for combat and was incredibly cunning. He had this strange guiding force about him that allowed him to grow stronger with every fight, win or lose. He was headstrong and stubborn, constantly searching for ways to improve himself even if it was by the smallest of margins, and that was done of the things she loved most about him. But now wasn't the time to be admiring her mate. This bout of blades was about asserting dominance within their small skulk and her sweet reynard was about to learn that it was the vixen who was in charge.

"Fox Hunt!"

Zero Two focused chakra into her limbs, further enhancing her speed and strength. Naruto immediately found himself trapped within a dome of darkness. 'Shit...it just had to come to this,' He mentally cursed as he prepared himself for the oncoming attack. The darkness was a Genjutsu that served as the first layer of her technique. It disoriented the victim by interfering with their senses, leaving them at the mercy of the rosette's blindingly fast attacks. And unfortunately for Naruto, it served as a hard counter due to his inaptitude for the illusionary art. He was at least able to recognize and dispel basic genjutsu now, but he still struggled with more advanced techniques.

'Damn it, I can't get a read on her. You picking up anything Kurama?'

"Unfortunately, no. As much as I hate to admit it, your vixen is exceptionally skilled in the art of war. It doesn't help that I'm forced to use your senses as a proxy and you're shit when it comes to genjutsu."

'Would you lay off already?'

"Fire-Style: Phoenix Flower Jutsu!"

Naruto was drawn out of his thoughts when he suddenly surrounded by a massive cluster of fireballs. They collapsed upon him as swiftly as the appeared, alarming the blond.

'Well...'

"Shit."

Zero Two watched on from afar, her devilish grin widening as her handiwork took effect. She had been inspired by Haku's use of his ice mirrors and decided to replicate his technique. Rather than lure her opponent into a dizzying dance with speedy movements, she opted to assault them from every angle imaginable with a fiery hailstorm. Her smile widened ever so slightly when she felt a massive surge in chakra. A blade of wind tore through smokescreen that had kicked up from the explosive sneak attack along with a nauseating semblance that descended the area and forced the air pressure to skyrocket.

Zero Two's eyes sided with glee when she caught sight of a golden silhouette emerging from the smoke. "STRELITZIA!" The rosette's chakra cloak detonated, engulfing her in flames. They danced across her skin, rubricating it before forming a fox-like shroud around her as Strelitzia manifested in a flash of brilliance. Zero Two seized her long-time partner with a flourish and began pouring chakra into the glaive. "That's it Darling~! Come ate me with everything you-"

"You're wide open Hime."

Zero Two felt a sharp, gut-wrenching pain pierced through her solar plexus, expelling the air from her lungs. A hand enclosed around her neck, further debilitating the rosette, but what truly frightened her was the sharp tug on her chakra. In less than a second, the crimson chakra flooding her system was completely drained out of her body, causing her protective cloak to evaporate. Her connection to the Tailed Beast's power had been effectively severed. She was flung harshly to the ground, collapsing with a desperate cough as she struggled to draw breath.

But she wasn't given a moment's rest and a streak of light brought her face to face with a pair of glaring blood red orbs. Zero Two was left stunned by the frosty glare and daunting face that drifted over her. As the blade brandished by this demonic entity was brought plummeting towards her skull, Zero Two was overcome by an emotion that she ha doing since buried. But the unhallowed claws of fear had clawed their way up from the depths of her psyche and sank their talons into the young kunoichi. Her eyes instinctively clenched tightly in anticipation of a final blow, which was why she was left bewildered by the soft tap on her nose.

"Boop."

Viridian eyes snapped open in a panic. Zero Two could only stare up in confusion as her mind worked slowly to process what just happened. Naruto was hovering over her with a shit-eating grin plastered across his face.

He swooped down and stole a kiss from his dumbfounded mate and rested his forehead against her own. "Guess that makes this my victory, neh Hime?"

"D-Darling..."

"You two...are really something else." Jiraiya appeared above them.

"What? You said go all out," Naruto shrugged.

"Yeah I know, but what in the actual hell was that?!"

Their words were tuned out by the abnormally quiet Zero Two, her full attention directed at the blond straddling her. She was still having difficulty registering the sheer amount malice that her beloved had radiated. She had never once been scared of him due to his status as a Jinchūriki, much less worry that he would actually cause her harm. But just now, for the slightest second, she felt genuine fear for her life. Her plan of antagonizing him repeatedly during their sparring sessions over the last 2 months had completely backfired. Mostly, she just wanted him to take her seriously in all aspects. It was rather difficult to facilitate their growth as shinobi if he was always holding back against her. She had also been curious to the full scope of the blond's strength. But Naruto let go more than she had anticipated. He came after with the intent to kill, even making her believe he would up until the final moment. And almost immediately he had returned to his normal, cheerful self.

'It would appear that Darling's anger runs a lot deeper than he lets on. I'll have to get him to open up more about his feelings. But for now...' The rosette found herself plagued by yet another distant emotion. Something about the way her beloved overpowered her and how she was left completely helpless at his mercy lit a fire of excitement within the rosette. Unlike the normal euphoria of battle that she often relished in, Zero Two felt an enkindling sensation swell up in her abdomen that surged throughout her body like a paralyzing lightning jutsu. Her mouth was dry, her skin felt clammy, and her moistening nether regions were starting to make her squirm. It was irritation that she was always subjected to once a year thanks to the klaxosaur blood coursing through her veins. But now that she had been reunited with her one true love, it was feeling that she longed to indulge in. Zero Two's mind was a swarm of emotions but there was there one clear cognition that she had settled on 'I can't wait to bear our children~!'

"That golden form Naruto...was that the Nine-Tails power that the Old Man mentioned?" Jiraiya queried.

"Oh that? Figures he would've you if he asked you to train me," Naruto said blankly as he adjusted Zero Two in his lap, eliciting a squeak out of her. He steadied himself before rising to his feet, carrying the rosette in his arms like a newly wed bride. She had been so lost in thought that she didn't even notice the shift in their positions until he stood up. "It is, but it's something that I'm still not able to control quite yet.

"Care to elaborate?"

"Well, the first time I ever used this power was when Kurama brought me back from the brink of death. It kinda hard to explain y'know. It was almost like when I enter my one-tailed state but my power and speed is far superior, especially the latter. My body just feels lighter than a feather. And just now when I was talking to Kurama, we came to an agreement I guess to not lose to Hime and it just sorta...happened." Naruto shrugged.

'I see...the Nine-Tails was acting out of self preservation before. I can't quite grasp his relationship with the beast, but if it was willing to assist the boy in a petty squabble such at this then it doesn't seem to be one of hostility or deceit. Definitely have to look further into this...' Jiraiya mused as his eyes fell on the atypically silent Zero Two. "And what's your deal pinky?"

"Let's not beat around the bush here. I'm sure the Old Man explained to you about how Hime is capable of siphoning chakra, even that of a Tailed Beast." Naruto spoke, a hint of annoyance in his voice.

"He did, but I'm asking her-"

"Well I'm telling you. Think of her as the same as me, only with a finite supply of Kurama's chakra. We sparred like you asked, so now what Pervy Sage?"

'Cheeky little shit...' Jiraiya mentally cursed his godson. It was like he had all the skill and promise of his father and the impishness of his mother. "Tomorrow. 0500. You want to be trained, then I'm going to spend every waking moment driving you both into the dirt every day until the final roll around. Don't be late." Without even waiting for a response, the elderly Sannin dispersed in a cloud of smoke.

"Tch...I don't care if he is a Sannin or if he trained my father, I don't like him," Naruto scoffed. He was anticipating an equally snide comment out of his beloved, which is why his brow furrowed in confusion when it never came. He glanced down at the girl in his arms and was taken aback. Her face was flushed of all color save for the rosy blush dusting her cheeks. She was staring off to the distance and wore contented smile. He wasn't sure what exactly or why, but he could sense something different about his beloved. This was the most docile he had ever seen her, and that was including whenever she was asleep.

"Just how slow can you be? I thought it was obvious already."

'Oh, and I suppose the "All Knowing" Nine-Tails can understand the inner workings of the human female's mind?'Naruto shot back. Technically Zero Two was only half human, but it was a common consensus that all girls were equally confusing.

"A monkey? Fucking gross! As for females, it's simple biology."

'Meaning...?'

"Look, all females long for a strong mate. As annoying as she is, that vixen loves you to hell and back. But she had yet to actually acknowledge and respect you as the Alpha. Until now."

'Wait...huh? You mean that stuff I said before the fight? I was just caught in the moment trying to intimidate her y'know.'

"And she took it as a challenge. You two clashed at full strength and she lost. Glad to see you finally stopped being such a little bitch."

'Oi-'

"Shut up. I told you already that form burns through my chakra at an alarming rate since you have no concept of the word "control" and I need to sleep."

'Bu-'

"Sleep!"

Naruto could only shake his head in amusement when Kurama forcibly closed off their connection. He considered the old fox's words as he gaze fondly at his girlfriend.

"Neh, Hime."

She was still deep in thought and he could only guess what she was going through her mind. But the nauseating aura of jubilation she was emitting right was enough to ease his concerns. "Hi~me." He coddled, giving her a gentle shake.

"Huh, wha-" Zero Two's head snapped towards the direction of his voice and immediately locked eyes with the blond. She felt entire body heat up and a blush spread across her entire face under Naruto's inquisitive gaze. "Y-Yes Darling?"

"Still in the mood for some Dango?"

"B-But...I lost..?"

"I know. Doesn't mean I can't still spoil the princess though," Naruto grinned as he set off for the village. A smirk crossed the blond features when he noticed his beloved's face now matched her hair completely. 'Alpha huh? I can totally get used to this y'know.'

* * *

Days until left Finals: 29

* * *

"Onward Darling~!"

"Ugh...you were born with two legs for a reason y'know."

"Yeah but I like using yours~!"

Naruto let out a dejected sigh as he flew through the treetops of the forest surrounding the village with Zero Two firmly secured to his backside. He was already starting to miss her more docile side, which was incredibly short lived. After their spar yesterday, they stopped for dango and he audaciously took it upon himself to go after the final stick. It was at that moment his beloved returned to her normal stubborn, feisty self and nearly set fire to the small stand to defend her delicacy. As much Mrs. Tanaka loved them for their excessive patronage, namely Zero Two's, they were still banned for a whole week.

After 10 minutes of running, they finally arrived at the designated training ground and were surprised to see Jiraiya already waiting. He was standing in the middle of the field scribbling away in a small notepad, giggling like the girls in the academy whenever they saw Sasuke pass through the halls.

"Great. The sun isn't up and he already doing something perverted." Naruto snorted as Zero Two gracefully dismounted her steed.

"I'll have you know I am working on a masterpiece here. This will be my greatest work yet!" Jiraiya snapped at the blond.

"Yeah, yeah whatever," Naruto waved him off. "So what now Pervy Sage?"

The Sannin's eye twitched in annoyance as a vein bulged just above his brow. "Well, first brat I need to know what it is exactly that you're trying to improve on. There's a whole slew of intermediate and advanced skills I can teach you, but that will be the foundation for your training. We'll start with you Naruto since you're feeling mouthy."

"Well, I wanted to work on my kenjutsu, but you don't seem like much of a swordsman and I haven't seen Hayate-sensei since prelims. Other than that..." Naruto brought a hand to his chin a she began to ponder. "I guess it would be nice to have better mastery over Kurama's chakra. Perhaps then I can finally learn how to tap into that golden form regularly. Maybe add a few Jutsu to my arsenal while I'm at it."

"I see...and what about you Pinky?"

Zero Two threw a glare in the old fart's direction, but he wasn't fazed in the slightest. "Like Darling, I took wish to perfect my proficiency with Kurama's chakra. My Dragon Vein technique increases my physical prowess exponentially, but it burns through chakra at an alarming rate so it's not ideal for extended confrontations. I think some extensive chakra control would do me some good so that I can make the best use of the finite supply that I have. Having some more long-range jutsu on hand wouldn't hurt I suppose."

'Hm...chakra control and new Jutsu huh? I can kill two birds with one stone. But training with the Nine-Tails chakra might be tricky. I'll have to prepare some more seals, just to be safe,' Jiraiya mused. "Alright, I'll need some time to put together a training regimen for you both, so in the meantime I want you guys to get warmed up. After you're all stretched, I want you to start with a couple laps around the village."

"Sounds easy enough," Naruto smirked as he rolled his shoulders.

"Good, then you should be able to finish all 20 in no time then."

"20?!" Naruto gaped.

"Oi what the hell are you smoking you old pervert? The village is like 25km in diameter!" Zero Two snapped.

"First of all, that's Super Pervert to you missy. But I did forget to take that into consideration. Let's make it 50 then." Jiraiya nodded as he clapped his hands together.

"50?! You mus-"

"Shall we shoot for 100?"

A satisfied expression settled onto the Toad Sage's face when both teens fell silent. "Ah that's what I thought. You guys only have until noon so I suggest you get a move on it." He suddenly felt rejuvenated at the sound of Naruto and Zero Two's groans echoing across the empty glade as they set off to complete their assigned task. 'Might as well start by building up their stamina first while I work out a game plan.'

"Neh Darling, let's race~!"

"What? No, it's too early for this."

"But Daahling~!"

"Don't give me that. And not falling for the puppy eyes this time y'know!"

'God what haven't I gotten myself into...'

* * *

Days left until Finals: 23

* * *

"Neh Pervy Sage, question."

Jiraiya let out an exasperated sigh as he turned to face his student. That stupid name was going to stick at this rate. "What do you want brat?"

"I already know it'll be a bit of a stretch, but do you by chance know any kenjutsu?" Naruto queried.

"Can't say that I do. My expertise lie mostly in Fuinjutsu. Why do you ask?"

"Well you see, I used the money we got from our S-rank mission and some of my savings to place a special order at the weapon's shop, and I was looking to adapt my style. Normally I would ask Hayate-sensei questions on this subject but I can't seem to track him down and Yūgao-née has been away on a mission for the last three weeks." The blond explained. He had even gone to Sasuke's house to see if the Uchiha had any pointers or scrolls lying around. It was the only other lead he had to work with since the style Yūgao had taught him was mostly derived from an old Uchiha art, but Sasuke was nowhere to be found either.

"I see...and what sort of style were you looking to pick up?"

"Dual wielding. Kind of."

"Kind of?"

"Kind of."

The Toad Sage eyed his charge suspiciously. "Well...unfortunately, I don't know much outside of basic hand-to-hand combat with a kunai."

"Damn...guess I'll just have to use what I know and make it up as I go," Naruto clicked his tongue as he started to brainstorm. "Who knows, maybe I'll just create up own style y'know."

"Wait...what?" The Sannin blinked. "You can't just create your own kenjutsu style on a whim!"

"And why the hell not?!" Naruto huffed.

"Look brat even if you did, it's not something that you would be able to pull out at the finals. It takes years to master the sword." Jiraiya was caught by surprise when he was immediately surrounded by a horde of Narutos.

"Me and my 200 shadow clones beg to differ y'know!" They chorused.

"That's...a fair point I suppose." Jiraiya relented. He had completely forgotten about the blond's monstrous training method. It took him years of hardwork, dedication, and experience to perfect his skills to level that they were at now, while his godson could do it in a matter of weeks with his shadow clones. Honestly, it was absolutely cheating if you asked him. "Alright you cheeky brat since you're feeling so energetic, Zero Two!" The rosette was busy with a chakra control exercise when she heard the sudden call of her name. She glanced over in their direction and tilted her head in confusion when caught sight of her beloved's shadow clone army. "If you catch the real Naruto in the next 10 minutes, I'll buy two cases of dango."

"Eh?" Came the girl's intelligible response.

"Eh?!" All 200 clones parroted.

"I'll double it if you hogtie him."

"What the hell Pervy Sage?!" Naruto snapped at the older man. His anger was immediately quelled and he felt a chill slither down his spine when a saccharine voice called out to him.

"Oh Darling~!"

"I suggest you get to running brat."

* * *

Days left until a Finals: 16

* * *

"Alright you two bring it in."

"Huh? What's up Perv-Ow!"

"Oh my god I'm so sorry Darling!"

Zero Two immediately rushed to the blond's side. She had been so caught up in their that she didn't even register the Sannin's presence until she had already belted an unsuspecting Naruto in the face. "Are you ok Darling? It's not swollen is it?"

"I'm fine Hime. I'm not a kid y'know," Naruto shrugged away from the rosette with a grumble. He loved her, he really did. But right now the last thing he wanted was to be touched by the person that sucker punched him in the eye.

"Oh shut up you big baby and let me worry about you. Somebody has to y'know!"

'God...this sense of deja vu is uncanny,' Jiraiya nearly faulted at the sight of Zero Two fussing over Naruto. "Girls, girls, you're both pretty. Now hush up. It's time for me to teach you a new jutsu."

Naruto was just about to snap at the Sannin when he finally processed his words. "Wait what was that about a new Jutsu?"

"Figures you heard that part. I swear, you're just like your mother," Jiraiya shook his head. "Anyway, I was originally just going to teach you Naruto, since this is your father's own original technique. But you're kind of spineless when it comes to Zero Two, and she would most likely pester you until you showed it to her as well."

"Oi!"

"You're not wrong y'know," the aforementioned rosette giggled.

"So I going to save you the trouble and teach it to both of you. Here, each of you take one of these," Jiraiya said before tossing a small balloon to each teen.

"Is there...water inside of these?" Zero Two gave the flimsy orb a gentle shake, confirming her suspicions.

"Let me explain first before you get to asking questions. Firstly, there's the tree walking exercise, which teaches one how to gather and maintain chakra in certain parts of their body. The water walking exercise teaches one how to release and control steady amount of it. You've both mastered this, which will help significantly when it comes to learning this jutsu. Now observe." Jiraiya held out his hand in which he held another water balloon. Naruto and Zero Two watched carefully and were surprised to balloon start to distort wildly out of shape before finally exploding. "Now what did that look like to you?"

"It was like...the water was going crazy inside. You were making it...spin?" Naruto mused.

"More or less," Jiraiya shrugged. "The goal is to apply what you've learned from the tree walking exercise to gather chakra into your palm and then utilize the water walking technique to release a steady stream of it."

"I think I get it. We're supposed to use our chakra to spin the water inside of the balloon until it pops correct? Something like this." Zero Two lifted her own balloon and began to focus as she gathered chakra into her hand. There was no evident reaction at first, but soon the balloon to warp and twist violently before finally rupturing.

"T-That is exactly right," Jiraiya stared in bewilderment. It had taken him a whole month to learn this step and her Zero Two managed to get it down after only seeing it once. "Um...well then. This is unexpected. I guess you can move on to the 2nd step Zero Two. Nicely done."

"Well I am pretty awesome y'know," the rosette replied smugly with a flip of her hair. "Try not to fall too far behind Darling. Ohohohohoho~!" She let out an obnoxious as she brought a hand to her chin.

"Tch, whatever! It can't be all that difficult," Naruto huffed before making attempt himself. He could feel the water sloshing about inside of the balloon but wasn't able to spin and churn it to the degree that they could.

"Hohooo~? What's this? Darling can't seem to spin his chakra to break this wittle old ballon~?" Zero Two loomed over him haughtily.

"Shut up!"

"And you call yourself an Uzumaki."

"Will you stop pestering me while I train!"

"Darling has always been such a sore loser. Such a shame~!"

"Go away Hime!"

"Awwww, are you gonna cry?"

"Pervy Sage!"

'They're like children,' The old sage sighed, not even bothering to hide his dead pan expression. 'Well, at least they're great at motivating one another...'

* * *

Days left until Finals: 10

* * *

Jiraiya was slowly drowning in apprehension as he observed the meditating teens sitting before him. 'Damn...this can't possibly be his limit, can it?.' The Toad Sage was currently overseeing the teens' meditation as they worked to control the Nine-Tails' chakra. After three days, Naruto was able to draw out four tails worth of chakra, but she still wasn't able to reach the golden state.

Zero Two had come a long way herself. She was now able to maintain her Dragon Vein state for 15 mins, which was quite a jump up from her original five. He was certain that she would be able to push it to at least 45 minutes with the 10 days they still had left before the finals. After all, she managed to master the Fourth Hokage's jutsu in only three. Considering her chakra control had risen to the point that she was able to balance herself on the surface of water with just the tip of her finger now, he honestly wasn't surprised. It was also a fact that she made sure Naruto was aware of with each passing day. The blond was still struggling with the 3rd step.

But in regards to his current training, Jiraiya began to suspect that it wasn't a problem with the Nine Tails. At first, he assumed that it was a lack of cooperation and coordination. According to Zero Two, Naruto and Kurama bicker back and forth more often than not, which honestly did not surprise the Sannin. Naruto's personality was definitely one that was capable of annoying even a legendary Tailed Beast. But the rosette affirmed that the duo had set aside their differences to discover a solution. The root of the problem was becoming more and more clear to Jiraiya.

'It must be the seal.' It was specifically designed to contain and suppress the Nine-Tails' chakra until it was eventually absorbed into Naruto's own. Right now, Naruto was attempting to forcibly draw that chakra out, which was starting to cause a great deal of strain on the seal. If the blond kept up at this rate, he estimated the seal would only hold out for another two months. 'I could repair the seal now, but the boy is determined to master this newfound power. It would just be delaying the inevitable. 'Of course there is always that...' the Sage mused.

As Naruto's Godfather, Minato has entrusted the Toad Sage with the key to unlocking Naruto's seal. He also left behind instructions for a new seal in the event Naruto ever wished to fully tame the Nine-Tails. Could this be what Minato was talking about? Even if Naruto was on friendly terms with the beast, could it truly be trusted? It must have an ulterior motive in all of this. "Naruto, a word." He called out to his godson.

"Huh?" The blond snapped to attention at the sound of his name. The Shrowd of chakra enveloping him dispersed as he glanced up at his godfather in confusion. "What is it Pervy Sage?"

"While I do agree that being able to utilize the chakra of the Nine-Tails in a pinch would be beneficial, don't you think you're going a bit too far?" Jiraiya queried.

Naruto's head tilted in confusion. "What the hell are you going on about Pervy Sage?"

"Do you realize that the more of its chakra that you draw out, the more your seal weakens, and the easier it is for the Beast to take over your body?"

"Yeah so? Kurama wouldn't do something like that. He's way too lazy. Besides, I trust him. We made a promise after all."

"Promise?!" Jiraiya exclaimed. "How could you possibly place so much trust in the monster that killed your parents? What makes you so sure he won't do the same to you?!"

"Well unlike you and the rest of the world, I don't view Kurama as a monster. He had about as much of a choice in this matter as I did. That's why I promised to find a way to free the both of us from this imprisonment. I would rather work together with him than blame him for something beyond his control. Besides, Kurama is my oldest friend. He's been there since the very beginning, which is more than you can say Godfather."

"I suppose you have a point there..." Jiraiya flinched under the blond's cold stare. He still thought it would be best to wait until Naruto was older, but the seal would not last much longer. At least this way he would be able to supervise Naruto and Zero Two in a controlled environment and could prepare the necessary countermeasures should the situation get too out of hand. If Minato had enough faith in his son to tame the most powerful of all the Tailed Beasts, then it was his job as the boy's godfather to help guide him. He wasn't there for Naruto in the past, so at the very least he could be there for him now. He just really hoped he wouldn't come to regret this. "Come here Naruto, I think I've figured out what the problem is."

* * *

Days until the Finals: 2

* * *

"Daaahling!"

Zero Two moped her way out of the bathroom and spotted Naruto lying on the couch. His eyes had been glued to the television but hearing his beloved's call was enough to draw his attention. "Huh?"

The rosette drug her feet across the floor, sluggishly crossing the room with a displeased pout etched onto her features. She collapsed onto the blond with out warning and groaned into his chest. "I can't feel my arms," Zero Two whined. She had spent majority of the day trying to master the final step of the Fourth Hokage's jutsu, which was introducing elemental chakra. This was a tricky process for her given her fire affinity and the volatile nature of the jutsu. Naruto actually had it easy this time around since wind chakra was fairly easy to manipulate once you got a good feel for it.

"You and me both Hime," Naruto chuckled as he ran his free hand through the curtain of Sakura petals now enveloping his torso. He couldn't exactly put his finger on it, but something was definitely different about his dearly beloved. Her hair was a lot softer now and had this glossy sheen to it that made it sparkle. And much like himself, Zero Two used to have this piney, forestry scent with a hint of honey about her. But now she always smelled of apples and cinnamon. It was quite pleasant actually. He always enjoyed being close together with her like this, but nowadays he couldn't wait to drown in her assuaging aura.

"Neh Darling?"

"Hm?"

"Is that a kunai in your pocket or are you just happy to see me~?"

"A-AH!" Naruto struggled to find his words as he found himself face to face with a grinning Zero Two. He had been so lost in thought in one head that he hadn't even noticed the other was stirring awake. "I-I mean...you come in here fresh out the shower and just dump all of this soft flesh on me! I have hormones y'know!"

He was silenced by kiss stolen by the impish rosette. "I noticed...you reek of them y'know~!" She purred, nibbling on the blond's collarbone. Lightning surged throughout Naruto's body, causing rhapsodic sparks to dance across his skin. "H-Hime...?"

"Neh Darling...patience was never really my strong suit y'know. But I've been waiting for this day fo so long now," Zero Two hummed, grinding her svelte supple form against Naruto's strong and sturdy one. "I want you~!"

Naruto gulped audibly. Their bodies were meshed so close together that they were on the verge of melting into one another. It appeared he would not be able to escape his beloved's advances so easily this time around. It didn't help that she was emitting this beguiling musk that was starting to drive him crazy, stirring up primal emotions from deep within. "W-Wait Hime! Shouldn't we uh...wait y'know?" He stammered.

"Why? I've already decided to spent the rest of my life with you, so what's the point in waiting? I love you with all my heart Darling and I want to give my everything to you. Become one with me Darling~!" The rosette purred as she nipped at her mate's neck.

"Y'know...you make it hard to disagree with you...when you get like this," Naruto growled as he returned the rosette's playful ministrations.

"Then don't~!"

Naruto let out a defeated sigh as the last of his resolve withered away. "Are you sure about this Hime...?" His leg was soaked and her pheromones were making his senses go haywire. It was impossible to ignore the passion dripping from her lips.

"I can't be anymore certain than I already am~!"

"Alright. It's just that everything that's been going on..."

"Darling."

"With the finals coming up..."

"Darling..."

"And that creep Orochima-"

"Dar~ling~!"

"Huh?"

"Just shut up and kiss me already."

"Y-yes ma'am."

* * *

Ok I'll keep it short. My computer broke the same day I posted that updated. I came home from work and it would not start. I couldn't get it fixed until yesterday because I had to save up these last couple months for moving expenses (got a brand new apartment!). I wasn't going to rewrite the entire chapter over again and I felt like another update would just add insult to injury so I decided to wait. In the mean time, I caught up on Demon Slayer, Black Clover, My Hero Academia, AND even started Bleach manga. I also read the manwhas Solo Leveling and The Breaker (New Waves too). I am disgusted at the sheer amount of story ideas this endeavor has given me. I think it's safe to expect some random one shots every now and then. OH! I also started drawing again you guys and it's turning about a lot better than expected. (the Zenitsu in my new profile pic is my handiwork).

Anyway, we're winding down to the final few chapters. I decided to just make part 2 a separate story, but I don't think it will be as long as this one. No more than 100k words (hopefully). Once again, I'm sorry for the super delay you guys but I was busy adulting unfortunately. But rest assured, I will NOT abandon this story. It's my favorite after all. As always, RR and let me know what you think!

-Chi

P.S You guys can save your breath asking for a lemon(s) because it is literally never going to happen. For one I'm pretty sure the site started cracking down on those a few years ago, but even still it's just to weird for me. I can handle romance but writing erotica is way too awkward of an experience for me. (I have actually made the attempt once for Thunder Maidens lol)


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